Detainees in UAE-run prison in Aden continue hunger strike for 17th day in row

ADEN, Jan. 9 (YPA) – Detainees in Bir-Ahmed Prison run by the so-called “security belt” militias backed by the UAE in Yemen’s southern city of Aden continued on Wednesday their hunger strike for the 17th day in row, and no response from the prison administration.

Media sources reported that detainees’ health conditions get worse, amid an unprecedented intransigence of the prison administration, which had already shown some flexibility during similar strikes witnessed by the prison.

The detainees’ demands are to release those whose release orders have been issued and to investigate the cases of those who have been held without charges, according to the media sources.

The sources reported that there are 87 detainees in prison, including 23 detainees transferred to the prison of Bir-Ahmad after had been hid in Al-Jalaa camp of the security belt militias and 43 others were transferred from Al Rayyan Airport prison in Hadramout province without completing investigation procedures.

The sources indicated release orders of 11 detainees from those who were hidden in Al-Jalaa camp were issued by the General Prosecution about six months ago, but they were not released.

Five of the detainees “lost their minds” after being tortured in secret prisons before being transferred to Bir-Ahmad prison, according to the sources.

Mothers and relatives of the detainees staged a protest on Wednesday morning near a camp of Saudi-led coalition, which is run by the UAE, to demand the disclosure of the fate of those who were forcibly disappeared and those whose fate has not been known for more than two years.

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