In a country claiming rule of lawBasic human rights violated [Archives:2005/874/Front Page]
By Adel al-Khawlani
Yemen Times Staff
SANA'A- Sept. 4- Sitting down in front of the Presidential Palace, waiting for justice and restoration of their properties from influential robbers, al-Ahsab's children – Bassam, Fuad, Nayef and Hisham – were dragged along with their mother by a police vehicle to al-Sabeen Police Station.
“I was released after a 28-day imprisonment to stay with my homeless wife and children,” narrated Ahmed al-Ahsab, 45, father of 16 children. “The second day I went to bring them a breakfast to the tent pitched in front of the Presidential Palace. When I came back I was shocked to find no-one.”
He went on, “Later I was informed by telephone that my children, along with their mother have been dragged by a police vehicle and detained in the prison of al-Sab'een Police Station. I reported that to the Hood Organization, Social and Democratic Forum, and Ministry of Human Rights.”
On her part, the 55-year-old mother said “As I refused to go with the police, I was harshly pulled and beaten on different parts of my body; violently, I was grabbed along with my frightened children from the tent and bundled into the police vehicle by eight soldiers. We stayed for over 11 hours in prison without food and water.”
She added: “We have been detained in prison for 11 hours and a half. That was on Thursday August 25, until the coming of lawyer Ahmad Arman, a representative from Hood Organization.”
Fuad, her second eldest child, described the ordeal, “I was dragged on my belly along with my other three brothers by a major as we insisted to remain in the tent.”
“I refused to go to prison to claim the release of my children and wife, mother of 16 children, since I believed this is a flagrant violation of human rights in general and women and children rights in particular. Such a violation is committed by security authorities that are supposed to protect us,” the father said.
The family has stayed in a small tent in front of the Presidential Palace for two and half months waiting for justice after different governmental parties failed to bring those who robbed their properties and attacked them to justice.
Al-Ahsab's children, who left their home in Maghrib Ans, Dhamar Governorate, suffer from deadliest diseases due to cold, storm and heavy rains for two months, and moreover guards at the Presidential Palace took the tent away several times, leaving them without shelter, said eyewitnesses.
The perpetrators have been for a long time harbored by directors of Dhamar's Security Department and the Criminal Investigations Bureau. The press believed such a practice of authorities encourages perpetrators and influential robbers to do what they want.
The family is now taking shelter in a basement of a modest hotel owned by a man of charity in the capital city of Sana'a. “We are waiting for justice and our rights,” said the aged wife.
The family feels frustrated after the failure of a two-and-half-month sit-in in front of the Presidential Palace and resorted to appealing to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the human rights authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and hold the concerned parties aiding them accountable for what they committed.
——
[archive-e:874-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-09-05-p:front]
