To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received reports of a court hearing in Sana’a, Yemen on 22 August 2020 in which six Baha'i's who were pardoned and released from custody were declared fugitives; and if he will make a statement.
Answered on
21 September 2020
We welcome the long overdue release of six Baha'is from Houthi detention, but it is deeply concerning that they were detained for their beliefs in the first place and that they cannot live freely and peacefully in their country. We are monitoring the situation closely and we strongly condemn the continued persecution of the Baha'i in Yemen for their religious beliefs. We are working closely with our partners to raise these concerns directly with the Houthi authorities and urge the release of all Yemenis detained for their beliefs or nationality. We continue to follow the treatment of the Baha'is in Yemen closely, including through meeting their representatives in the UK and lobbying the relevant authorities. We continue to call on the parties to the conflict to respect the human rights of all Yemenis.