PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 31/013/2006

22 November 2006

UA 313/06 Fear of Torture and Ill-Treatment

YEMEN ‘Abdullah Mustaffa bin ‘Abdul Rahim Aiob (m), aged 21 ]

Mohammed Illias bin ‘Abdul Rahim Aiob (m), aged 19 ] Australian nationals

Marek Samouslki (m), aged 35 ]

Rasheed Shams Laskar (m), aged 34, British national

Kinith Sorenson (m), aged 23, Danish national

The five foreign nationals named above, who were studying in Yemen, were arrested on 15 October, allegedly in connection with “attempts to smuggle arms to Somalia”. Since then, they have been detained without charge or trial, and without access to their families. Amnesty International fears that they may be at risk of torture and ill-treatment.

According to reports, Australian nationals ‘Abdullah Mustaffa bin ‘Abdul Rahim Aiob, his brother Mohammed Illias bin ‘Abdul Rahim Aiob, and Marek Samouslki; British national Rasheed Shams Laskar; and Danish national Kinith Sorenson, were arrested by plain clothed security forces on 15 October who stormed a building compound in al-Nahdha street in the capital, Sana’a, where the men were living. The men are believed be detained at the Political Security Prison in Sana’a.

Amnesty International is very concerned at reports that the men are detained in solitary confinement without access to their families or lawyers. The Yemeni authorities are believed to have allowed the men limited visits from consular officials but refused to allow them access to their families or lawyers. The organisation recognises that right and responsibility to bring to justice anyone who is suspected of a recognizably criminal offence, but stresses the importance of adherence to international standards in the arrest and detention of such suspects.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Amnesty International has repeatedly raised its concerns regarding arrests and detentions by the Political Security in Yemen, which are carried out with total disregard for the rules of the Criminal Procedures Code and for Yemen’s international human rights obligations. Arrests are carried out without the judicial supervision required by law and those detained are invariably subjected to lengthy incommunicado detention and interrogations, during which some detainees have claimed that they were tortured or ill-treated. Detainees have also been denied access to lawyers, as well as being denied the opportunity to challenge the legality of their detention before a court.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Arabic or your own language:

- seeking urgent assurances that foreign nationals Abdullah Mustaffa bin ‘Abdul Rahim Aiob, Mohammed Illias bin ‘Abdul Rahim Aiob, Marek Samouslki, Rasheed Shams Laskar and Kinith Sorenson are not being tortured or ill-treated in detention;

- calling on the Yemeni authorities to give the men immediate access to their lawyer, relatives and any medical attention they may require;

- seek urgent clarification of the men’s current legal status including reason for their arrest, and details of charges against them together with their trial proceedings.

APPEALS TO:

President

His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh

President of the Republic of Yemen

Sana'a

Republic of Yemen

Fax: + 967 127 4147

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Interior

His Excellency Dr Rashid Muhammad al-Alimi

Ministry of Interior

Sana'a

Republic of Yemen

Fax: + 967 1 332 511

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Human Rights

Her Excellency Kadijah al-Haysami

Ministry for Human Rights

Sana’a, Republic of Yemen

Faxes: + 967 1 444 838

Salutation: Your Excellency

APPEALS TO:

President

His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh

President of the Republic of Yemen

Sana'a

Republic of Yemen

Fax: + 967 127 4147

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Interior

His Excellency Dr Rashid Muhammad al-Alimi

Ministry of Interior

Sana'a

Republic of Yemen

Fax: + 967 1 332 511

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Human Rights

Her Excellency Kadijah al-Haysami

Ministry for Human Rights

Sana’a, Republic of Yemen

Faxes: + 967 1 444 838

Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO: Diplomatic representatives of Yemen accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 3 January 2007.