A Houthi coup against the prisoners and detainees agreement
English - Monday 14 June 2021 الساعة 04:05 pm
Aden, NewsYemen:
The Houthi militia expressed a desire to conclude a side deal to exchange prisoners and detainees, including high-ranking military leaders kidnapped in its prisons for years, in a move that appeared to be a coup against an accomplished agreement on this file, sponsored by the United Nations.
The Houthi militia, through the official responsible for the file of its prisoners, Abdul Qadir Al-Murtada, announced its readiness to enter into an exchange deal with the legitimate government, including Major General Nasser Mansour Hadi, brother of interim President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, and Major General Mahmoud Al-Subaihi, the former defense minister.
Meanwhile, the legitimate government responded by accusing the Houthis of "lying and exploiting the file of political prisoners and abductees, as well as for media consumption."
Majed Fadhel, a member of the government team negotiating the prisoners' file, said in tweets on his Twitter account that they (i.e. the Houthis) should be honest with themselves first and foremost.
He added, that there is an agreement signed in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and this agreement is in place, and the first phase has been implemented, and the second, which is limited to 301, including one of the four covered, remains. The Houthis must prove their credibility and seriousness, away from media outbidding.
He pointed out that there has been progress in the discussion on this agreement in the "Amman 4" round and after, adding, "We are now completing the agreed number and expanding it to include the rest of the four covered by the Security Council resolution."
He continued: “We expand, after confirming what was agreed upon, so that the exchange process includes the four included (Major General Nasser Mansour, Major General Mahmoud Al-Subaihi, Major General Faisal Rajab and Professor Muhammad Qahtan), and then priority is given to the elderly, journalists and the sick, and after that the transfer to the rest, and those who are denied or not proven. His presence is referred to the Committee on Missing Persons for a decision.
