Sanaa condemns arrest of former foreign minister in Aden airport

SANAA, July 09 (YPA) – An official source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sanaa condemned the arrest of the former foreign minister, Hisham Sharaf, by the Saudi-led coalition-backed government at Aden International Airport.

In a statement to the official Saba News Agency in Sanaa, the source said that “the arrest of the former minister, who is a leader of the General People’s Congress (GPC) in the National Salvation Government, reveals the true nature of those claiming to represent Yemen’s unity”. He affirmed that they are nothing more than organized groups operating as gangs and bandits.

The source considered what happened a clear violation of the rights to travel and movement guaranteed by international conventions and laws. He added that this arrest is part of a series of practices that the pro-coalition militants have been employing over the past ten years, targeting dozens of Yemeni citizens as they travel through areas under their control, as a result of the closure of Sanaa Airport.

He also highlighted the recent arrest of Sheikh Mohammed al-Zaidi in Mahra province as part of these violations.

The source also explained that these forces imprisoned travelers and committed acts against them that he described as exceeding all limits and constituting flagrant violations of religious principles and tribal and social norms.

The source called for the immediate release of Hisham Sharaf and Sheikh al-Zaidi, urging human rights and humanitarian organizations to stand against and condemn these arrests and press for their release, as well as that of all detainees held by the coalition forces.

YPA