Violations of Women’s Rights in Taiz [Archives:2001/24/Local News]

Investigation on violating women’s rights is still going on in the Pending Investigation Office (PIO) in Taiz following a report issued by Sisters Arabic Forum (SAF) on violations of human rights in Taiz Prison.
SAF’s representative, along with Taiz Prison Director and Hrtic chairman conducted a field visit to check conditions of female prisoners and provide them with the legal assistance in Taiz Prison on 1.6.2001.
Following the visit, a report was issued by the forum dated 3.6.2001 which revealed that 6 women prisoners were detained by some officers from the PIO. They were kept in the PIO for six hours before investigation began. They were forced to confess immoral practices, according to the report. The SAF representative sat with the detainees, was acquainted with the way they were detained, and investigated their cases. Of the flagrant investigation violations is when two officers from the PIO refused to stop beating them until they confessed what they claimed. Furthermore, they told them that they would be released if they confessed these charges.
Thorough investigation with informed and official bodies, revealed their aggressive detention from a public street and illegal means of investigation which go in downright contradiction to the commitment of the authority towards the respect of human rights.
SAF informed the Supreme National Committee for Human Rights (SNCHR) which launched an on-going investigation in this regard. Mr. Khaled al-Akwa’a, SNCHR coordinator, exerted commendable efforts to follow investigations up. The forum has called upon all the governmental institutions concerned, on the head the Human Rights Minister, to conduct swift and fair investigation and present those responsible for these illegal acts to court. The forum has also called all human rights organizations to condemn such inhumane, illegal practices and exercise pressure on the bodies concerned to take measures to stop these immoral, illegal actions which are against religion, legal and constitutional contexts.
Initial investigation results indicate that three of the detained women were released while others are still in custody.

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