Sanaa releases 153 pro-coalition prisoners in unilateral initiative

SANAA, Jan. 25 (YPA) – The National Committee for Prisoners Affairs in Sanaa announced on Saturday the release of 153 prisoners of the other party (government loyal to the Saudi-led coalition) in a humanitarian initiative from one side at the directives of Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

In a press conference held on the occasion of the release, the head of the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee, Abdulqadir Al-Mortada, indicated that most of the prisoners released from the other side had been captured on the fighting fronts, and they are humanitarian cases that include the sick, wounded, and elderly, in addition to single members of their families and other similar cases.

 Al-Mortada pointed out that this initiative is the second of its kind in less than a year. He stated that Sanaa had implemented a wide unilateral initiative during the month of May last year, and 112 prisoners were released, and between these two initiatives, unilateral initiatives were implemented, and 270 prisoners were released in multiple periods.

He explained that this initiative was carried out in coordination with the United Nations through the office of its special envoy and through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sanaa, which worked during this period to facilitate the necessary procedures to implement the initiative.

The spokesman for the ICRC, Iskandar Saeed, considered the release of the prisoners from one side a positive step that comes according to the Stockholm agreement.

Saeed added that the ICRC had previously conducted interviews with the prisoners to verify their identities and ensure their communication with their families and loved ones, confirming the committee’s readiness to play the role of mediator in order to achieve the release of all prisoners from all parties.

YPA