HRW Urges Houthi Release of Over 20 Christians Facing Enforced Disappearance

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has demanded the immediate release of over 20 Christians arbitrarily detained by Houthi militias over the past three months, warning that these individuals face enforced disappearance alongside hundreds of others held in Houthi-controlled areas.

Nico Jafarnia, the organization's researcher for Yemen and Bahrain, stated that the Houthi militia prioritizes kidnapping and detention over addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis. She called for an immediate cessation of detentions targeting members of the Christian minority and demanded guarantees that all detainees receive adequate food and water.

Information compiled by HRW, sourced from Yemeni Christians and a review of circulating publications, indicates that the campaign of arbitrary abductions against Christians began in late November and early December 2025. One source noted a significant escalation in abductions on December 24, Christmas Eve, with estimates suggesting that more than 20 Christians from Sana'a, Ibb, and other Houthi-held territories had been detained by January 12, with the total number potentially reaching "dozens."

Eyewitnesses reported that the abductions occurred both "from the streets and from homes" without the presentation of official warrants. Forces allegedly raided residences forcefully without identifying themselves, and the detainees were never informed of the reasons for their detention. Witnesses confirmed that most cases meet the definition of enforced disappearance, as many of the detained have been unable to contact their families. Some of these individuals suffer from chronic illnesses requiring urgent medical care.

Cases of enforced disappearance, where the militia refuses to disclose the detainee's location or status, constitute serious crimes under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. These abductions occur within a context of systematic persecution against religious minorities; HRW previously documented the Houthi detention of 17 Bahaʼí members in 2023, in addition to prior abuses against Christians and Jews.

The Christian population in Yemen, once estimated at approximately 41,000, has dwindled to only a few thousand due to conflict and persecution. Jafarnia asserted that the Houthis' repeated claims of upholding justice are invalidated by the continuous abuses they perpetrate against their own population internally.