New reports have emerged regarding the imprisoned Baha’is in Yemen, pointing to mistreatment in prison and mounting evidence that their incarceration is based solely on their religious beliefs.

On 10 August 2016, armed, soldiers from the Yemeni National Security Office raided an educational gathering organized jointly by the Neda Foundation for Development as well as the Baha'i community of Yemen on the theme of moral empowerment and service. The attendees consisted of Baha’i and non-Baha’i Yemenis from across the country. More than 60 participants at the conference were arrested, among them youth and children.

Three other Baha’i men were summoned to prison, two of them having been told to pick up their wives, who had been incarcerated on 10 August. Upon arrival, all three men were arrested.

By the end of August, all individuals who were not Baha’is had been released, showing clearly that the arrests were religiously motivated.

Currently, three Baha’is remain in prison, under the custody of the National Security Office. Several of the  others who were recently released have been told to not leave their homes and be prepared to be recalled to prison. While in prison, they were without access to lawyers or family members. Reports indicate that many have been held in solitary confinement and treated harshly.

Further, senior Muslim clerics have been questioning the Baha’i prisoners, raising concerns that an effort to establish cases of apostasy may be underway – a charge that would carry the most severe consequences in Yemen.

In addition, individuals and human rights organizations that have spoken up on their behalf have themselves been threatened with arrest.

This is not the first incident against the Baha’is of Yemen. Previously, Mr. Hamed Kamal Bin Haydara was arrested at his place of work on 3 December 2013 and sent to the National Security prison – the same location where Baha'i most recently arrested are currentlybeing held – where he was severely tortured and interrogated.

His court proceedings lacked any due process of law. The prosecutor in his case, Mr. Rajeh Zayed, a man of influence deeply hostile towards the Baha’is, made strongly prejudicial statements against him and the Baha’i community in the courtroom, even threatening and insulting him, his family and his religion. On one occasion he said he would “do his utmost to uproot the Baha’i Faith from Yemen.”

It has further come to light that Mr. Zayed has instigated the recent arrest and imprisonment of the Baha’is and has prevented the release of the final seven individuals.

Since August, the chronology of events in Yemen has unfolded as follows:

• On 10 August, more than 60 people – consisting of Baha’is and non-Baha’is, are arrested during an event for youth.
   
• On 4 September, the following simultaneous raids took place on two Baha’i homes, the Baha’i center in the city of Sana’a and the office of Neda Foundation. These new incidents further point to the religious prejudice behind the recent events.
   
• The home of Mr. and Mrs. Sabet – the parents of one of the women who was incarcerated – was raided. Their building consists of three parts: 1) their own home 2) the home of their daughter, Ms. Ruhya Sabet Sakkaf and,3) the Baha’i center which comprises the bottom floor.

• Mr. Rajeh Zayed together with five other individuals – an officer from the National Security Office, two other armed security officers and two armed women – arrived at the building at 8:00 am and left at 12:00 pm.

• Both homes and the Baha’i Centre were entered and thoroughly searched. All personal computers, phones and SIM cards, and iPads that could be found were removed. Mr. Rajeh Zayed arranged for the entrance to the Baha’i Centre to be sealed before leaving.

• The home of Mr. Badi’u’llah Sanai and Mrs. Faezeh Sanai was raided. This couple are the parents of one of the women prisoners.

• The office of Neda Foundation, a non-governmental organization directed by Sheikh Walid Ayaash, who is among those currently imprisoned, was also been raided and all individuals found at the location were arrested.

It appears that the authorities are seeking to build a “case” against the Baha’isthrough whatever means available to them. Mr. Hamed Bin Haydara has been held in prison for over 32 months and his health has been deteriorating throughout that time. The progress of his case appears to have been deliberately slowed to ensure that he remains incarcerated, with charges being finally communicated to his lawyer in January 2015, but no opportunity yet given for his defense statement to be presented to the court.