The legal profession in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital under the control of the Houthi group (Ansar Allah), is experiencing unprecedented restrictions and systematic repression, posing existential challenges to the profession and legal professionals that threaten the very essence of justice. These practices come at a time when human rights reports are increasingly documenting attacks, arbitrary arrests, and ongoing threats against dozens of lawyers while performing their professional duties in courts and public prosecution offices.
Historical context of the erosion of the judicial institution
This escalation against lawyers was not a spontaneous event, but rather the culmination of a long process that began with the group's takeover of state institutions in September 2014. Since then, the de facto authorities in Sana'a have been restructuring the judiciary to serve their own agenda, replacing many independent judicial figures with loyalists who often lack the necessary legal competence. Targeting lawyers is the final step in this process of complete control over the judiciary, ensuring that no dissenting legal voice or genuine defender of the rights of the accused can exist, especially in politically sensitive cases.
Tools of repression: from intimidation to the “code of conduct”
The methods of repression employed by the security and judicial apparatus in Sana'a against lawyers are varied. In addition to direct arrests and fabricated charges, the group imposes strict restrictions through what is called the "Code of Professional Conduct," which compels lawyers and judges to attend sectarian-oriented cultural courses as a condition for practicing law or remaining in their positions. Lawyers who represent individuals in freedom of expression cases or cases involving influential figures also face smear campaigns and incitement that escalate to threats of physical elimination, forcing many to leave the capital or abandon the profession altogether.
Serious repercussions for human rights
Targeting lawyers not only violates their professional rights but also deals a devastating blow to human rights principles and the right to a fair trial in Yemen. The absence of independent lawyers deprives citizens of their fundamental right to defense and reduces trials to mere formalities that legitimize prejudgments. Legal observers and international organizations warn that the continuation of this approach will lead to the complete collapse of what remains of the justice system in Houthi-controlled areas, exacerbating the suffering of civilians and eliminating any prospect of accountability and redress in the near future.
