Women Journalists Without Chains continues to observe with grave concern the political and security shifts currently unfolding in Aden, following measures announced by the internationally recognized Yemeni government aimed at reasserting state authority, strengthening public institutions, and safeguarding civilians.

These developments occur against the backdrop of prolonged domination of the city by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) — a period marked by extensive, systematic, and deeply entrenched violations of human rights that have left Aden’s civilian population exposed, unprotected, and deprived of justice.

This moment therefore constitutes a critical juncture: one that must be seized to confront the most dangerous unresolved human rights file in the city — the network of illegal detention, enforced disappearance, and arbitrary imprisonment maintained by STC forces and affiliated units.

Illegal Prisons: A Direct Assault on Rule of Law
Extensive field documentation and human rights reporting confirm that hundreds of civilians remain unlawfully confined in a system of both overt and secret detention facilities controlled by STC forces.

Dozens of detainees continue to be held in conditions of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention, in direct violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Yemen’s own legal framework.

Women Journalists Without Chains has identified no fewer than 12 detention centers in Aden and its surrounding areas functioning entirely outside any judicial authority, in the near-total absence of prosecutorial oversight — a reality that has rendered the very concept of due process effectively meaningless.

Crimes Behind Bars: From Arbitrary Detention to Death Under Torture
Over the past years, these detention facilities have become sites of severe and recurring abuses, including:
•    Abduction and arbitrary detention
•    Enforced disappearance
•    Physical and psychological torture
•    Cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment
•    Denial of contact with families and lawyers
•    Detention without charge or judicial order

These violations — prohibited under both Yemeni law and international conventions — have culminated in multiple deaths under torture, most recently the killing of political activist Sheikh Anis al-Jardami. His case exposes the criminal and systematic nature of detention practices and the entrenched culture of impunity.

Such acts may constitute serious crimes under international law.

Systematic Targeting of Civilians
Aden has witnessed widespread repression targeting hundreds of civilians, including:
•    Journalists and media professionals
•    Lawyers and human rights defenders
•    Political, social, and union figures
•    Activists and ordinary citizens

Individuals have been targeted for their opinions and peaceful activities amid a broader policy of silencing dissent. Internally displaced persons have also been affected, alongside campaigns of incitement, racial discrimination, and systematic restrictions on freedom of movement.

Notorious Detention Facilities
Among the most infamous illegal detention sites operated by STC forces and their affiliated units (Security Belt, Support and Reinforcement, Special Tasks, Counterterrorism) are:
•    Waddah Hall Prison
•    Bir Ahmed Prison
•    Al-Jalaa Camp Prison
•    Camp 20 Prison
•    Construction Camp Prison
•    Al-Shaab Camp Prison
•    Workers’ Island Prison
•    Villa Shallal Prison
•    Al-Nasr Camp Prison
•    Security Department Prison at Badr Camp
•    Coast Guard Camp Prison
•    The so-called “Coalition Headquarters” Prison in Al-Buraiqa District — previously linked to direct Emirati military management.

The Role of the United Arab Emirates
Credible international and local human rights organizations have documented the involvement of UAE forces in grave violations during their direct military presence in Aden, including:
•    Extrajudicial killings of politicians, activists, and clerics
•    Supervision and management of illegal detention facilities
•    Torture and enforced disappearance
•    Unlawful transfer of detainees

These acts represent serious breaches of international humanitarian law and require independent international investigation and accountability.

Escalation of Violations in 2025
In 2025, violations by STC forces escalated sharply in both scale and severity, reflecting an entrenched policy of repression.
Women Journalists Without Chains documented 426 violations in 2025, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly during STC attempts to seize control of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra in December. These violations included:
•    Killings and executions of prisoners
•    Abduction of the wounded
•    Forced displacement
•    Systematic looting of public and private property
Within Aden itself, abuses included:
•    Abductions and arbitrary arrests
•    Enforced disappearances
•    Torture and ill-treatment
•    Violations of the right to life, with at least four detainees dying under torture
•    Systematic attacks on peaceful gatherings, including assaults on women and children

Urgent Demands to Restore Rule of Law
Women Journalists Without Chains calls on the Presidential Leadership Council and the internationally recognized Yemeni government to treat the crisis of illegal detention in Aden as an immediate legal and humanitarian priority.

The organization demands:
1.    Full disclosure of all detention facilities operated or used by STC forces, and the closure of all illegal prisons.
2.    Immediate empowerment of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to exercise full authority over all detention sites, with unrestricted inspections and judicial oversight.
3.    Immediate and unconditional release of all detainees held for their opinions, political activities, or media work, and all those detained without legal basis.
4.    Establishment of an independent fact-finding commission to investigate torture, enforced disappearance, and ill-treatment, ensuring accountability and ending impunity.
5.    Comprehensive investigations into all past violations committed by STC forces, ensuring justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition.
6.    Independent investigations into violations linked to UAE military presence, with full accountability under international law.

Women Journalists Without Chains affirms that resolving the crisis of illegal prisons and enforced disappearances is indispensable to rebuilding trust in state institutions in Aden. Failure to address this file will only entrench injustice and perpetuate cycles of violence.

Victims’ rights do not expire. Justice, accountability, full redress, and guarantees of non-repetition remain the only sustainable foundation for peace, stability, and the rule of law in Yemen.

Released by: 
Women Journalists Without Chains
January 8, 2026