by Al-Fassel | 2025-12-23

The Houthi movement, entrenched in Yemen's capital, Sana'a, has systematically weaponized the nation's judiciary to suppress dissent and maintain a stranglehold on power.

Through sham trials, defendants, often journalists, activists and political opponents, are denied basic legal rights, including access to files or representation.

In many cases, proceedings last only minutes before dissenters are condemned to death.

For example, 17 individuals were sentenced to death by firing squad on November 23, 2025, a spectacle intended to silence critics and terrorize the population.

The absence of due process and legal protections highlights a judiciary transformed into a tool for political repression.

Sham trials and public executions: A system of fear

The Houthis have implemented fear-driven policies that blur any distinction between justice and tyranny.

Espionage charges, often fabricated and politically motivated, serve as their primary weapon of repression and control.

Critics are accused of betraying Yemen without evidence, ensuring those who oppose them face swift and severe punishment.

The charges stifle freedom of speech and shut down debate, consolidating control over society.

Torture and militarized courts: A system built to crush dissent

Under Houthi rule, torture has become a cornerstone of their judicial process in order to hold control.

Detainees are subjected to severe abuse, physical and psychological, to coerce confessions to crimes they did not commit.

Families of detainees are regularly threatened with violence and harassment to intensify pressure.

Dr. Mujahid Rajeh's case exposes the system's brutality: Rajeh was tortured into admitting espionage charges after voicing political opposition.

Stories like his abound, revealing the Houthis' systematic disregard for human rights and the rule of law.

To tighten control, Tawfiq Al-Hamidi, director of SAM for Rights and Freedoms, says Houthis replaced judges with loyal military commanders, turning courts into "military battalions dressed in judicial robes."

These former combat supervisors implement Houthi political agendas with brutal efficiency, creating verdicts devoid of impartiality or fairness.

Such judicial militarization ensures that the Houthis maintain absolute power while hiding their systematic oppression behind the guise of lawful authority.

The Houthis' reign of terror is dismantling any hope for justice or peace in Yemen.

Their abuse of the judiciary, coercive practices and systemic violence reflect broader authoritarian ambitions that undermine human rights and destabilize the region.

Human Rights Watch researcher, Niku Jafarnia, stated, "The Houthis should immediately release all those arbitrarily detained solely for their political affiliations."

He continued, "… including those held for commemorating the September 26 revolution, journalists, lawyers and dozens of UN and civil society staff."