On Sunday, April 13, 2025, a horrifying incident unfolded in the southern Yemeni governorate of Abyan, where Counter-Terrorism Forces affiliated with the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) committed an appalling act.

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) reported that these forces publicly crucified the corpse of a man on a military armored vehicle, parading it through the streets of Zinjibar. This act has been condemned as a heinous crime and a grave violation of human dignity, breaching both Yemeni law and international humanitarian law.

 WJWC reviewed disturbing photos and widely circulated video footage showing members of the Counter-Terrorism Forces fastening the body of a slain man, identified as Hammam al-Yafi (alias “Abu Zaid al-Hadi al-Yafi”), to the front of an armored vehicle. The footage depicted the vehicle driving through Zinjibar, with the corpse visibly displayed—a chilling affront to human dignity. Al-Yafi was reportedly killed earlier the same day during a security operation in Ataq, Shabwah Governorate, where he was suspected of belonging to an armed extremist group. However, the decision to crucify his body and parade it through the city represents a grotesque violation of ethical, legal, and humanitarian norms.

 WJWC emphasized that the brutal conduct of the STC forces backed by the UAE reflects a deeply alarming pattern of extrajudicial behavior. The public display of the deceased’s body sets a dangerous precedent, paving the way for acts of vigilante retribution and undermining social cohesion. The organization stressed that mere suspicion of affiliation with an armed group does not justify such degrading treatment of a corpse, which violates basic human rights, principles of justice, and the rule of law.

 Additionally, WJWC asserted that the incident constitutes a compound crime involving the desecration and mutilation of a corpse, explicitly prohibited under Article 262 of Yemen’s Criminal Code. It also breaches key provisions of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and Common Article 3, which protect the dignity of the dead. This act represents a clear overreach of authority and a crime against human dignity, standing in stark violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

 In response, Women Journalists Without Chains condemned the incident in the strongest terms, labeling it an appalling violation of human dignity and an egregious breach of both national and international laws. WJWC called for an immediate and independent investigation into the crime, demanding accountability for those responsible through a transparent judicial process that adheres to international standards.

 The organization further urged the United Nations and the UN Security Council to take swift action, particularly by mandating the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen to investigate the incident. WJWC also called for the perpetrators to be documented as human rights violators in Yemen.

 In conclusion, WJWC reiterated that the protection of human dignity is a binding legal and moral duty that must never be compromised. “The state's legitimacy is not built through grotesque displays of violence,” the organization stated, “but through respect for human life and the consistent application of the law.”