The Baha’i International Community has learned that the next hearing scheduled in Sana’a for Hamed Bin Haydara, a Yemeni Baha’i detained on religiously motivated and baseless charges since 2013, will be held tomorrow.

In January 2018, Mr. Haydara was sentenced to public execution. Since then, 18 appeals court hearings have been held and the latest was set to take place on 31 March when it was unexpectedly brought forward to tomorrow. 

“The hearing tomorrow comes after more than six years of unjust imprisonment, false and baseless accusations and harsh and degrading treatment of Mr. Haydara,” said Ms. Diane Alai, Representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva.

In recent years, the lower court in Sana’a has ruled not only against Mr. Haydara but has targeted over twenty members of the Baha’i community, including members of the Baha’i administration. Mr. Haydara is one of six Baha’is currently imprisoned in Yemen for their beliefs.

“The Baha’i Community in Yemen has been under tremendous pressure in recent years,” said Ms. Ala’i. “Mr. Haydara’s case mirrors the treatment meted out to all of them and it is high time that this betrayal of justice comes to an end.” 

“The BIC reiterates its call, once again, that the court recognizes Mr. Haydara’s innocence after years of cruel treatment and releases him immediately. This is not just the hope of the BIC but of the international community which has followed his case for years,” Ms. Ala’i added.

Mr. Haydara’s case has received widespread media attention since his imprisonment, including in the Associated Press, the Washington Times and on ABC News. In addition, the case has prompted an international outcry from civil society organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Sana’a Centre for Strategic Studies and governments around the world. In 2018, over 100 Members of the European Parliament and national parliaments across Europe signed a statement calling for the immediate release of all Baha’i prisoners in Yemen, including Mr. Haydara.