Protests planned in Aden demanding release of detainees, missing persons

ADEN, May 10 (YPA) – The Coordination of Civil and Human Rights Forces in Aden announced plans for a public protest in Al-Oroudh Square in the Khor-Maksar district, calling for the release of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons held in prisons across the city.

In a statement, the group said the demonstration is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 23, to protest what it described as false promises made by the government and the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council regarding the detainees’ file.

The statement clarified the planned rally may reflect growing public anger over what it called negligence and disregard by the authorities in Aden toward the issue of abductees and forcibly disappeared individuals allegedly held in prisons run by the UAE-funded Southern Transitional Council (STC) and other security bodies.

According to the coordination group, repeated official pledges to resolve the issue have failed to produce results, accusing the authorities of using delaying tactics to contain public frustration.

It stressed that “silence is no longer possible” and rejected the ongoing policies of deception and procrastination, warning against turning the detainees’ issue into a forgotten case.

It also claimed that hundreds of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons remain held in secret prisons without legal protections or judicial oversight.

The group called on residents of Aden, civil society organizations, and families of victims to participate in the protest to demand the immediate disclosure of the fate of all detainees and forcibly disappeared persons, the closure of secret prisons, and accountability for those responsible.

The statement further warned against any attempt to suppress the protest or attack participants, referring to previous demonstrations that were reportedly dispersed by force. It added that “repression will not silence the voices of mothers or extinguish public anger.”

AA