Geneva — SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated that the Specialized Criminal Court affiliated with the Houthi group continues to issue arbitrary rulings that are being employed as tools of political repression against opponents, independents, and business figures, in a systematic violation of the most basic standards of justice and legal safeguards guaranteed under international law. The organization emphasized that the recent ruling against Engineer Adnan Al-Harazi, Director of Prodigy Systems Company, is a blatant example of this dangerous deviation in the court’s operations and a reflection of the use of the judiciary as a means of political and economic extortion, amid the absence of independence and the lack of basic legal guarantees.
On Sunday, April 25, 2025, the Houthi-affiliated Specialized Criminal Court issued a ruling sentencing Engineer Adnan Al-Harazi to 15 years in prison and ordered the confiscation of his personal assets and the assets of Prodigy Systems Company. SAM described the ruling as arbitrary and politically motivated, lacking the minimum elements of justice, and in flagrant violation of both national law and relevant international conventions.
The organization stressed that the ruling constitutes a direct violation of Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to a fair trial before an independent and impartial tribunal. It pointed out that Al-Harazi was not afforded a fair opportunity to defend himself and that no sufficient evidence was presented to substantiate the charges against him—placing the judiciary in the realm of political exploitation rather than legal neutrality.
SAM also emphasized that the confiscation of Prodigy Systems' assets is a direct violation of Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to property and protection against arbitrary deprivation. The organization added that such measures undermine the investment climate in Yemen, drive businesspeople and investors away, and exacerbate the country’s economic crisis, unemployment, and poverty.
The organization confirmed that the Houthi group aims through such rulings to achieve several objectives, most notably intimidating the private sector, consolidating economic control, and eliminating independent voices. It further noted that the judiciary is being used as a means of political and financial extortion—practices that reflect an authoritarian tendency undermining state institutions and obstructing any peace or development efforts.
SAM clarified that what is happening in Houthi-controlled areas is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic framework aimed at eliminating judicial impartiality and transforming the judiciary into a security arm that intimidates society. The group has increasingly empowered its security apparatus at the expense of weakening judicial institutions and undermining individual rights—transforming the judiciary from a refuge for justice into a tool of repression and score-settling.
SAM pointed out that since the Houthi takeover of the capital Sana’a in September 2014, the group has established a parallel judicial system, most notably the Specialized Criminal Court. Originally intended to address terrorism-related cases, this court has since evolved into an instrument of repression against politicians, journalists, activists, and businesspeople, as part of a systematic policy known as the “weaponized judiciary.”
The organization further noted that this court, which was initially created to handle terrorism and organized crime cases, has strayed from its legal framework to become a platform for issuing politically motivated verdicts used to eliminate opponents, restrict freedoms, and confiscate property—amid an almost complete absence of judicial independence. SAM warned that the continuation of such violations entrenches a system of judicial repression, erodes public trust in the justice system, and marks a dangerous escalation in the use of the judiciary as a tool of intimidation and authoritarian control.
The organization affirmed that Yemen’s judiciary has long suffered from a lack of independence, but the situation in Houthi-controlled areas has become especially dire, with the judiciary now fully subordinated to the political authority of the group. It functions as a parallel security agency that disregards legal and human rights standards, depriving victims of any real chance for legal redress.
SAM highlighted that over recent years, the Houthi group has issued dozens of death and prison sentences against its opponents. One of the most prominent cases was the execution of nine young men from the Tihama region in September 2021—including a minor—following their conviction in the killing of senior Houthi leader Saleh Al-Sammad, despite widespread international condemnation. The organization noted that such trials are often mere show trials, devoid of legal guarantees, and occasionally carried out publicly to instill fear and subjugate local communities.
The organization added that its human rights reports—including the report titled “Without Justice”—document the issuance of over 500 arbitrary rulings by the Houthi group since 2015, targeting opponents, activists, and businesspeople. All of these rulings lacked the minimum standards of fair trial. SAM noted that these rulings did not merely involve imprisonment but also focused heavily on asset seizures, with confiscated properties valued at over $3 billion, as documented in its report titled “The Judicial Custodian.”
SAM clarified that these seizures are not legal actions but rather strategic tools to fund the war effort and consolidate economic control at the expense of the private sector and citizens’ rights. This has led to increased impoverishment and the monopolization of resources. The organization asserted that such violations constitute war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute, including the destruction and looting of property not justified by military necessity in the context of armed conflict. It further noted that the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention classifies such trials under Category III of arbitrary detention—placing legal and moral responsibility on the international community to act.
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties called on the Houthi group to immediately revoke its arbitrary rulings and to release Engineer Adnan Al-Harazi and all other detainees who have been tried based on malicious and fabricated charges, without regard for fair trial standards. The organization stressed that their continued detention constitutes a form of arbitrary arrest and a flagrant violation of international legal obligations. It called for an end to the use of the judiciary as a tool for political and economic retaliation and demanded accountability for those responsible for these serious violations.
SAM also urged the international community to take urgent steps—not just through condemnation, but through concrete legal mechanisms. These include supporting independent investigations, activating the principle of universal jurisdiction, and prosecuting those responsible in national courts. The organization further called for including violators on international sanctions lists, including the freezing of assets, travel bans, and financial restrictions. SAM emphasized the necessity of holding both inciters and perpetrators of these violations accountable—whether internally through transitional justice mechanisms or externally via the International Criminal Court or international fact-finding commissions—to ensure that they do not escape punishment.