Salam For Yemen

Alors que la mission d’information parlementaire sur le contrôle des exportations d’armement va enfin rendre ses préconisations, il est urgent que le cri d’alarme lancé par de nombreuses ONG françaises, internationales et yéménites soit enfin entendu.

Paris, 16 novembre 2020 – 14 organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG) humanitaires et de défense des droits humains appellent à mettre fin à l’opacité française sur les ventes d’armes et à instaurer un véritable contrôle du Parlement, à l’occasion de la publication du rapport de la mission d’information sur le contrôle des exportations d’armement le 18 novembre 2020.

Les ONG signataires rappellent qu’il est indispensable que le Parlement puisse enfin remplir son devoir de contrôle sur l’action du gouvernement en termes de ventes d’armes à l’étranger. Ce contrôle est d’autant plus essentiel que la responsabilité des ventes françaises est pointée du doigt dans certaines violations graves du droit humanitaire, notamment au Yémen, où ces violations ont des conséquences dramatiques sur les populations civiles.

La mission d’information sur le contrôle des exportations d’armement, dont les deux co-rapporteurs sont les députés Michèle Tabarot et Jacques Maire, a été créée en décembre 2018 par la Commission des Affaires étrangères de l’Assemblée nationale, en partie suite à la mobilisation de l’opinion publique et des ONG contre les ventes à l’Arabie saoudite et aux Emirats arabes unis d’armes françaises susceptibles d’être utilisées illégalement contre des civils au Yémen.

La publication du rapport de la mission d’information représente une occasion unique d’instaurer plus de transparence dans le commerce des armes pour les raisons suivantes :

1. La France, où le Parlement n’a pas la possibilité d’exercer un réel contrôle sur les ventes d’armes effectuées par le pouvoir exécutif, constitue une exception parmi les grandes démocraties occidentales, alors que des pays comme les Etats-Unis, le Royaume-Uni ou encore l’Allemagne ont mis en place un tel contrôle depuis longtemps. Les initiatives parlementaires précédentes préconisant un tel contrôle sont toujours restées lettre morte. Le Parlement et l’exécutif ont enfin la possibilité de mettre fin à cette exception française et de permettre au Parlement d’exercer son devoir constitutionnel de contrôle de l’action de l’exécutif.
2. Le gouvernement français continue de livrer des armes dans plusieurs pays responsables de graves violations contre les populations civiles, tout particulièrement au Moyen-Orient. Selon le dernier Rapport du ministère des Armées au Parlement sur les exportations d’armement de la France, l’Arabie Saoudite figure, pour l’année 2019, dans le top 3 des pays ayant reçu le plus d’armes françaises et les Emirats arabes unis enregistrent un record de prises de commandes d’armement français. Et ce, malgré leur responsabilité présumée dans des violations graves et répétées du droit international humanitaire au Yémen. Le drame qui se déroule actuellement au Yémen est qualifié par l’ONU de l’une des pires crises humanitaires au monde : en raison du conflit, qui entre dans sa septième année, 80% de la population  a aujourd’hui besoin d’aide humanitaire. C’est un drame évitable.

3. En continuant de fournir des armes à ces pays en dépit du risque qu’elles soient utilisées pour commettre des violations du droit international humanitaire, la France aggrave les risques pour les civils et viole ses obligations internationales telles qu’énoncées par le Traité sur le commerce des armes et par la Position commune européenne 2008/944/PESC. En avril 2019, un document confidentiel de la direction du renseignement militaire daté de septembre 2018 divulgué par le média d’investigation Disclose montrait ainsi la présence d’armes françaises aux mains de la coalition militaire dirigée par l’Arabie saoudite dans le cadre du conflit au Yémen, confirmant de source officielle le risque manifeste que des armes françaises soient utilisées de manière illégale contre des populations civiles. Le Groupe d’experts éminents sur le Yémen de l’ONU a également pointé du doigt la responsabilité de la France à plusieurs reprises. Le Conseil des droits de l’homme de l’ONU a aussi adopté une résolution, co-sponsorisée par la France, le 7 octobre 2020, exhortant les Etats à “s’abstenir de transférer des armes aux parties au conflit lorsqu’ils évaluent un risque prépondérant que ces armes puissent être utilisées pour commettre ou faciliter des violations graves des droits de l’homme ou du droit international humanitaire”.

1. Enfin, l’opinion publique souhaite aujourd’hui que cette situation change. En effet, 72% des Françaises et Français s’expriment en faveur d’un contrôle renforcé du Parlement en ce qui concerne les ventes d’armes et par ailleurs, 7 Français⸱e⸱s sur 10 souhaitent que la France suspende ses ventes d’armes à l’Arabie saoudite et aux Emirats arabes unis pour leur rôle dans la guerre au Yémen, selon un sondage YouGov commandé par SumOfUs en 2019.

Le débat autour de la sortie du rapport de la mission d’information doit permettre la mise en place de véritables mécanismes de contrôle par le Parlement ainsi que d’une transparence accrue vis-à-vis de la société civile et de l’opinion publique. La France doit enfin rendre des comptes sur ses exportations d’armements.

ONG signataires :

1. Action contre la Faim
2. Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture – ACAT-France
3. Amnesty International France
4. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
5. Fédération internationale pour les droits humains
6. Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion
7. Human Rights Watch
8. Ligue des droits de l’Homme
9. Médecins du Monde
10. Mwatana for Human Rights
11. L’Observatoire des armements
12. Oxfam France
13. Salam for Yemen
14. SumOfUs

Citations d’ONG :

Lucile Grosjean, Directrice déléguée plaidoyer d’Action contre la Faim :

« Avec la sortie de ce rapport, l’enjeu n’est pas de créer une énième commission, mais de savoir comment le Parlement place la protection des civils au sommet de ses prérogatives. Les ventes d’armes françaises alimentent les souffrances des populations au Yémen et cela doit cesser. Les propositions de Mme Tabarot et M. Maire seront revues sur un seul critère : le nombre de vies qui seront épargnées au Yémen et ailleurs. »

Elias Geoffroy, Responsable programme et plaidoyer Afrique du Nord et Moyen-Orient chez ACAT-France:

« Alors que la France vient d’intégrer le Conseil des Droits de l’Homme, en s’engageant à « veiller au respect, au plan national, des instruments internationaux qu’elle a ratifiés » comme le traité sur le commerce des armes, il est temps qu’elle se mette au niveau des autres démocraties en matière de contrôle de vente d’armes. Nous espérons que le rapport de la mission d’information se montrera à la hauteur des attentes, en préconisant une transparence renforcée ainsi qu’un contrôle parlementaire pérenne et efficace, afin de s’assurer que la France ne se rende pas complice de crimes de guerre. »

Aymeric Elluin, chargé de plaidoyer Armes à Amnesty International France :

« Depuis le début du conflit au Yémen, les ventes de matériel de guerre français, à destination de la coalition menée par l’Arabie saoudite, ont atteint des montants considérables. Malgré les preuves de possibles crimes de guerre, ce sont notamment plus de 6 milliards d’euros d’équipement qui ont été livrés depuis 2015 à la seule Arabie saoudite. Suite à la mobilisation d’Amnesty International et de la société civile, une proposition de loi présentant des modalités de contrôle fortes des ventes d’armes par le Parlement, a été déposée le 28 juillet dernier. Les travaux de la mission d’information doivent s’en faire l’écho. Seuls une véritable transparence et la mise en place d’un contrôle parlementaire permettront de s’assurer que la France exporte des armes en conformité avec le Traité sur le commerce des armes et ne se rend pas complice de possibles crimes de guerre. »

Anissa Daboussi, chargée de programme Afrique du Nord & Moyen Orient à la Fédération Internationale des Droits Humains (FIDH) :

« Trouver une solution au conflit au Yémen et cesser d’alimenter cette guerre qui a coûté la vie à de nombreux-ses Yéménites passe par l’arrêt des ventes d’armes aux pays de la coalition menée par l’Arabie saoudite et les Emirats arabes unis. Le rapport de la mission d’information a été longuement attendu par les ONG et nous espérons qu’il soit à la hauteur des enjeux, qu’il propose des mesures claires en matière de transparence et l’instauration d’un contrôle parlementaire permanent. »

Bénédicte Jeannerod, directrice France de Human Rights Watch :

“Il est urgent et indispensable que le Parlement français puisse enfin exercer un contrôle effectif sur les exportations d’armes de la France, surtout lorsque ces transferts alimentent des forces militaires responsables de crimes de guerre contre des civils comme c’est le cas de la coalition militaire dirigée par l’Arabie saoudite au Yémen. Espérons que la mission d’information sur les exportations d’armements aboutira à donner les moyens au Parlement de réellement contrôler le respect par la France de ses obligations internationales”.

Malik Salemkour, président de la Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH) :

 « Il est grand temps que la France respecte le traité sur le commerce des armes et qu’un fonctionnement démocratique donne enfin au Parlement un pouvoir de contrôle sur les livraisons d’armes à des gouvernements responsables de violations des droits de l’Homme. La France ne doit pas se rendre complice de crimes de guerre. »

Philippe de Botton, président de Médecins du Monde :

« La France a sa part de responsabilité dans la crise humanitaire que vit aujourd’hui le Yémen : les armes françaises participent directement au conflit dévastateur qui empêche les yéménites d’avoir accès à des soins de santé de qualité et de prendre soin de leurs familles dans la dignité. Le conflit doit cesser et pour cela, les armes françaises doivent cesser de l’alimenter. »

Tony Fortin, chargé d’études de l’Observatoire des armements :

« Si l’Allemagne, les Pays-Bas et la Suède ont suspendu certains contrats d’armement vers Riyad, c’est non seulement en raison de la guerre au Yémen mais aussi parce qu’ils ont mis en place un mécanisme de contrôle démocratique qui permet à la société civile d’être entendue par les gouvernants. Un tel système n’existe pas en France. Il faut se saisir de l’opportunité ouverte par le rapport Maire-Tabarot pour (enfin!) avancer sur le sujet. Cela suppose questionner la place prépondérante que l’on donne au pouvoir exécutif et à la logique militaire dans notre société. »

Jon Cerezo, Responsable campagne humanitaire chez Oxfam France :

« Après plus de 5 ans de souffrance pour les populations civiles du Yémen, il est temps que la France entende les appels des organisations internationales, des ONG et de la majorité de la société française : arrêtez d’alimenter la guerre au Yémen avec des armes françaises ! La France doit arrêter de prioriser ses profits commerciaux à court terme, plutôt que les vies et les droits des populations ! »

Sadek Alsaar, président de Salam For Yemen :

« Le peuple yéménite souffre depuis plus de 5 ans d’une guerre absurde et d’un embargo meurtrier, qui chaque jour augmentent le nombre des victimes et accroissent la malnutrition et la famine. Les ventes d’armes françaises à l’Arabie saoudite et aux Emirats arabes unis alimentent cette guerre et son lot de violations du droit humanitaire. La France doit cesser et respecter ses engagements internationaux en suspendant les ventes d’armes aux belligérants. »

Nabil Berbour, Directeur de campagnes chez SumOfUs :

 « Près de 3 Français sur 4 souhaitent un contrôle renforcé du Parlement en ce qui concerne les ventes d’armes, à l’instar de ce qui se pratique par exemple au Royaume-Uni, en Suède ou d’autres démocraties. Emmanuel Macron et le gouvernement doivent entendre ce puissant message et mettre fin à cette exception française anti-démocratique. »

While the parliamentary fact-finding mission on the control of arms exports is about to issue its recommendations, the wake-up call raised by many French, international and Yemeni NGOs must be finally heard.

Paris, 16 October 2020 – 14 humanitarian and human rights non-governmental organisations (NGO) urge to end France’s opacity on arms sales and to establish real parliamentary control, on the occasion of the publication of the report of the fact-finding mission on arms export control on November 18th.

The signatory NGOs reiterate the necessity that the Parliament could finally fulfill its duty of control over the government’s action in terms of arms exports. This control is all the more essential since French arms sales have been pointed out to be responsible for certain serious violations of humanitarian law, particularly in Yemen, where those violations have dramatic consequences for the civilian population.

The fact-finding mission on arms export control, whose two co-rapporteurs are MPs Michèle Tabarot and Jacques Maire, was created in December 2018 by the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, partly as a result of public opinion and NGO mobilization against French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, likely to be used illegally against civilians in Yemen.

The publication of the fact-finding mission’s report represents a unique opportunity to create greater transparency on arms trade for the following reasons:

1. France, where the Parliament has no ability to exercise real control over arms sales carried out by the Executive, is an exception among the major Western democracies, while countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany established such control a while ago. Previous parliamentary initiatives calling for such control have always remained a dead letter. The Parliament and the Executive have the opportunity to put an end to this French exception and to enable the Parliament to exercise its constitutional duty of control over the Executive’s actions.
2. The French government continues to deliver arms to several countries responsible for serious violations against civilian populations, particularly in the Middle East.  According to the Report of the Ministry of Armed Forces to the Parliament on France’s arms exports, Saudi Arabia is, for the year 2019, among the top 3 countries that imported the most French arms and the United Arab Emirates has ordered a record number of French arms. And this despite their alleged responsibility for serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen. The drama currently unfolding in Yemen is described by the UN as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world: due to the conflict, which is entering its seventh year, 80% of the population is now in need of humanitarian aid. This is a preventable tragedy.
3. By continuing to supply arms to these countries despite the risk that they might be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law, France increases risks of harm to civilians and violates its international obligations as set out in the Arms Trade Treaty and the European Common Position 2008/944/CFSP.  In April 2019, a confidential document from the Directorate of Military Intelligence dated September 2018 disclosed by the investigative media Disclose showed that French arms were in the hands of the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition in the context of the conflict in Yemen, confirming from official sources the clear risk that French arms could be used against civilian populations. The UN Panel of Eminent Experts on Yemen has also pointed out France’s responsibility on several occasions. The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution, co-sponsored by France, on October 7, 2020, urging states to “refrain from transferring arms to any party to the conflict when they assess an overriding risk that those arms could be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of human rights law or international humanitarian law”.
4. Finally, the public opinion is today calling for change. Indeed, 72% of French citizens are in favour of greater parliamentary control over arms sales and furthermore, 7 out of 10 French citizens want France to suspend its arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates because of their role in the war in Yemen, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by SumOfUs in 2019.

The debate surrounding the release of the fact-finding mission’s report must enable the establishment of real control mechanisms by the Parliament as well as increased transparency towards the civil society and public opinion. At last, France must be accountable for its arms exports.

The signatory NGOs :

1. Action Against Hunger
2. Action by Christians for the abolition of torture – ACAT-France
3. Amnesty International France
4. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
5. International Federation for Human Rights
6. Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion
7. Human Rights Watch France
8. League for Human Rights
9. Doctors of the World
10. Mwatana for Human Rights
11. The Armaments Observatory
12. Oxfam France
13. Salam for Yemen
14. SumOfUs

NGOs quotes:

Lucile Grosjean, Deputy Advocacy Director of Action Against Hunger:

“With the release of this report, the issue at stake is not to create yet another commission, but to find out how the French Parliament puts the protection of civilians at the top of its prerogatives. French arms sales are fueling the suffering of people in Yemen and this must stop. Mrs Tabarot and Mr Maire’s proposals will be reviewed on a single criterion: the number of lives that will be saved in Yemen and elsewhere“.

Elias Geoffroy, Programme and Advocacy Manager for North Africa and the Middle East at ACAT-France:

“While France has just joined the Human Rights Council, committing itself to “ensure national respect for the international instruments it has ratified” such as the Arms Trade Treaty, it is time for it to bring itself up to the level of other democracies in terms of controlling the sale of arms. We hope that the report of the fact-finding mission will live up to expectations, calling for greater transparency and lasting and effective parliamentary scrutiny to ensure that France is not complicit in war crimes.”

Aymeric Elluin, Arms Advocacy Officer at Amnesty International France:

“Since the beginning of the conflict in Yemen, sales of French war materiel to the coalition led by Saudi Arabia have reached considerable amounts. Despite evidence of possible war crimes, more than €6 billion of equipment has been delivered to Saudi Arabia alone since 2015. Following the mobilization of Amnesty International and civil society, a bill was tabled on 28 July last, setting out strong parliamentary control of arms sales. The work of the fact-finding mission should reflect this. Only genuine transparency and the introduction of parliamentary scrutiny will make it possible to ensure that France exports arms in compliance with the Arms Trade Treaty and is not complicit in possible war crimes. »

Bénédicte Jeannerod, France Director of Human Rights Watch:

“It is urgent and indispensable that the French Parliament finally be able to exercise effective control over French arms exports, especially when these transfers feed military forces responsible for war crimes against civilians, as is the case with the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition in Yemen. Let us hope that the fact-finding mission on arms exports will lead to the Parliament having the means to effectively monitor France’s compliance with its international obligations”.

Malik Salemkour, President of the League for Human Rights (LDH):

“It is high time that France respects the Arms Trade Treaty and that a democratic functioning finally gives Parliament the power to control arms deliveries to governments responsible for human rights violations. France must not be complicit in war crimes“.

Anissa Daboussi, North Africa & Middle East Programme Officer at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH):

“To find a solution to the conflict in Yemen and stop fueling this war which has cost the lives of many Yemenis, we must stop selling arms to the coalition countries led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The report of the fact-finding mission has been long awaited by the NGOs and we hope that it is up to the challenge, that it proposes clear measures in terms of transparency and the establishment of permanent parliamentary control“.

Jon Cerezo, Humanitarian Campaign Manager at Oxfam France:

“After more than 5 years of suffering for the civilian population of Yemen, it is time for France to listen to the appeals of international organizations, NGOs and the majority of French society: stop fueling the war in Yemen with French weapons! France must stop prioritizing its short-term commercial profits over the lives and rights of the people!”

Nabil Berbour, Campaign Director at SumOfUs:

“Almost 3 out of 4 French people want more control of Parliament over arms sales, as is the case in the UK, Sweden and other democracies. Emmanuel Macron and the government must hear this powerful message and put an end to this anti-democratic French exception“.

Philippe de Botton, President of Doctors of the World:

“France has its share of responsibility in the humanitarian crisis that Yemen is experiencing today: French arms are directly involved in the devastating conflict that prevents Yemenis from having access to quality health care and from taking care of their families in dignity. The conflict must end and to do so, French arms must stop fuelling it. »

Sadek Alsaar, President of Salam For Yemen:

“The Yemeni people have been suffering for more than 5 years from an absurd war and a murderous embargo, which every day increase the number of victims and increase malnutrition and famine. French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are fuelling this war and its share of violations of humanitarian law. France must stop and respect the right to food.”

Tony Fortin, Research officer at the Arms Observatory

“If Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden have suspended some arms contracts to Riyadh, it is not only because of the war in Yemen, but also because they have put in place a democratic control mechanism that allows civil society to be heard by the rulers. Such a system does not exist in France. We must seize the opportunity provided by the Maire-Tabarot report to (finally!) make progress on the subject. This implies questioning the predominant place given to the executive power and the military logic in our society“.

U.N. Human Rights Council: Help Bridge Yemen’s “Acute Accountability Gap”

download document (pdf)

September 22, 2020

– States should help pave the way towards credible accountability and redress for the people of Yemen by renewing and strengthening international investigations into war crimes, other serious violations of international humanitarian law, and grave human rights abuses during this 45^th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (the Council), 24 organizations said today.

Yemen is suffering from an “acute accountability gap,” according to the UN Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) on Yemen, which released its third report on September 9, 2020. With COVID-19 threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions across Yemen, peace talks floundering, and airstrikes, shelling and attacks impacting civilians once again increasing, the reality for millions of Yemeni civilians is growing ever more bleak. This session, the Human Rights Council has the opportunity to pave the way towards credible accountability and redress for victims and survivors in Yemen.

People in Yemen have experienced grave abuses since the conflict began in 2014, when Ansar Allah (the Houthi armed group) and military units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh took control of the capital, Sana’a, and escalated in 2015 when the Saudi/UAE-led coalition militarily intervened on the side of the Yemeni government.

With the conflict in its sixth year, millions of Yemenis are without adequate food, water, shelter or healthcare. The parties to the conflict impede the flow of life-saving goods into and around the country, attack critical infrastructure, and misdirect goods and their revenues to their own coffers and loyalists. Thousands of civilians have been killed, wounded and otherwise harmed by airstrikes that violate international humanitarian law, indiscriminate shelling and the use of banned anti-personnel landmines. The societal fabric has torn, with expression, speech, peaceful protest and movement increasingly restricted, and political and other identity-based divisions weaponized by those in power.

The human rights and humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen is man-made, and was avoidable. The  parties to the conflict continue to hold the vast majority of power in and over Yemen. For Yemen’s trajectory to change, the behavior of the parties to the conflict and their backers needs to change. As of September 2020, perpetrators have gone unpunished, states responsible for violations have faced no real consequences, parties have rarely acknowledged fault or taken measures to protect civilians, suppliers keep the arms used for international humanitarian law violations flowing, and victims have been denied justice and redress.

In 2017, the Council established the GEE to report on  violations of international law in Yemen and, where possible, to identify those responsible. The Council renewed the GEE’s mandate in 2018 and 2019, despite opposition from the Saudi/UAE-led coalition.

In its third report, the UN experts found the international community “can and should” do more to “help bridge the acute accountability gap” in Yemen. The experts provided a list of specific recommendations, including for the Security Council to refer the situation in Yemen to the International Criminal Court and to expand the list of persons subject to Security Council sanctions. The GEE supported the establishment of an investigative body, similar to the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria, and specifically called on the Council to ensure the situation of human rights in Yemen remains on its agenda, including by ensuring adequate resources are provided to the GEE for the collection, preservation and analysis of information related to violations and crimes. In the longer term, the Group encouraged “further dialogue about the creation of a special tribunal such as a ‘hybrid tribunal’ to prosecute cases of those most responsible,” reiterated the importance of victims’ right to a remedy, including reparations, and called for human rights to be “at the heart of any future peace negotiations,” including that “no steps are taken that would undermine respect for human rights and accountability, such as granting blanket amnesties.”

The GEE also reiterated concerns that states supplying arms to parties to the conflict, including to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, may be violating their obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty, and that this support may amount to aiding and assisting internationally wrongful acts.

Today, 24 Yemeni, regional and international civil society organizations came together to call on the Council to endorse the GEE’s report, including its findings on accountability, and to take concrete steps this Council session to pave the way towards credible justice for Yemen. The 24 organizations are calling on the Council to renew and strengthen the GEE’s mandate this September, including to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyze evidence related to, and clarify responsibility for, the most serious crimes under international law and violations of international law committed in Yemen since 2014. The organizations are also calling on the Council to task the GEE with issuing a special report advising states on practical steps they can take to help ensure justice and redress for the tens of thousands of Yemeni civilians unlawfully harmed by the warring parties throughout this conflict.

Organizational Quotes:

“More than half a decade into this catastrophic war, the international community should no longer ask Yemenis to wait for justice,” said Radhya al-Mutawakel, Chairperson, Mwatana for Human Rights. “Those who bomb buses full of children, sentence journalists to death, and steal humanitarian aid must be put on notice that they will be held accountable.”

“Real, concrete forms of accountability and redress are essential if we want to see an end to this nightmare,” said Jeremie Smith, Geneva Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. “The fate of millions hangs in the balance.”

“The international community should act immediately to end the man-made human rights and humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen. Apart from accountability and redress, states supplying arms to parties to the conflict should be held accountable,” said Murat Çelikkan, Co-Director of Hafıza Merkezi. “The hesitancy to bring justice to the Yemeni people undermines the international respectability of human rights and human rights and humanitarian law.”

“Widespread impunity by all sides means that human rights violations will continue to mount, and those who document these violations and defend human rights are at extremely high risk. Only accountability will pressure those committing the violations to stop,” said Khalid Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR).

“For too long the international community has turned a blind eye to the massive humanitarian crisis in Yemen, or sold weapons to those who continue to commit war crimes and other violations of international law,” said Dr. Simon Adams, Executive Director of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. “It is time to investigate, expose and prosecute those responsible for atrocities in Yemen.”

“We call on the international community to put pressure on all parties to the conflict, including on Saudi Arabia and the UAE not to use the blockade as a means of collective punishment, and to hold accountable those responsible for the recruitment of children,” Sadek Al Saar, President, Salam For Yemen.

“We witness everyday a great number of atrocities in Yemen, without any acknowledgement of the need for accountability, and impunity feeding more of those atrocities,” said Akram Al-Shwafi, Director of Watch for Human Rights. “Bringing those who commit violations to justice and offering redress to victims is the only way to achieve peace and security.”

“The UN panel report lays out in horrific detail the immense toll Yemen’s conflict has taken on civilians. States should take a stand on behalf of victims and urgently pursue the panel’s strong accountability recommendations,” said Balkees Jarrah, Associate International Justice Director, Human Rights Watch.

“This is an extremely damning report and underlines the complicity of arms-dealing governments. All parties to the war have shown a total contempt for international law and the rights and lives of people in Yemen.  After five terrible years, this war has killed tens of thousands of people and destroyed vital infrastructure across Yemen. The war must stop, and so must the arms sales that have enabled it.” Andrew Smith, Media Coordinator, Campaign Against Arms Trade.

“Warring parties have perpetrated abuses with near total impunity in Yemen,” said Michael Payne, Interim Advocacy Director, Physicians for Human Rights. “The parties to the conflict have routinely violated international humanitarian law and have decimated Yemen’s health system, inflicting widespread death and suffering on civilians. The international community must do more to hold the warring parties to account.”

“The experiences we went through have proved to us that without justice and accountability, any peace deal will surely fail, and that accountability and justice for the victims and holding those who commit violations accountable are real guarantees for a lasting peace,” said Amat Al-Salam Abdullah Al-Haj, Director, the Mothers of Abductees Association.

“The international community’s commitment to date has ensured that the grave violations and abuses that are still happening on a daily basis in Yemen are being duly investigated and reported on –the HRC must take this commitment to the next stage, for victims have the right to the truth and they have the right to justice and to redress,” said Lynn Maalouf, Middle East Director, Amnesty International.

Signatories: 

1. Action by Christians Against Torture (ACAT-France)
2. Amnesty International
3. Andalus Institute for Tolerance and anti-Violence Studies
4. Bosnian-Herzegovinian Pride March, Bosnia and Herzegovina
5. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
6. Campaign Against Arms Trade
7. Center for Social Impact Studies, Ghana
8. Dhameer Organization for Rights and Freedoms
9. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
10. Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
11. Hafıza Merkezi, Turkey
12. Human Rights Watch
13. International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
14. International Federation For Human Rights (FIDH)
15. Justice Call for Rights and Development
16. Mothers of Abductees Association
17. Musaala for Human Rights
18. Mwatana for Human Rights
19. PAX (the Netherlands)
20. Physicians for Human Rights
21. Salam For Yemen
22. Sisters’ Arab Forum for Human Rights (SAF)
23. Watch for Human Rights
24. Yemeni Civil Alliance for Peace