Yemen: Houthi government announces the release of more than 3,000 prisoners.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arabian Sea - Yemen - Follow-ups: The authorities of the internationally unrecognized Houthi group announced that the Public Prosecution in Sana'a released 3,349 prisoners from central and reserve prisons and detention centers in the capital and a number of governorates, on the occasion of the Prophet's birthday anniversary. The Public Prosecution stated that the release included prisoners who had completed three-quarters of their sentences or whose good conduct had been proven during the period of punishment, in addition to insolvent individuals who had completed their sentences but were still detained due to their inability to pay financial obligations. According to a statement issued by the Public Prosecution, the largest numbers of those released were from Al-Hudaydah Governorate (1,020 prisoners), followed by the Capital Secretariat (866), then Saada (485), while the remaining cases were distributed among the governorates of Dhamar, Ibb, Hajjah, Taiz, Al-Bayda, Amran, Al-Mahwit, Raymah, and Sana'a. The Attorney General appointed by the Houthis, Abdul Salam Al-Houthi, affirmed that the step came "in implementation of the directives of the group's leadership" within the framework of what he described as "humanitarian initiatives related to the religious occasion," noting that the release is subject to legal conditions and judicial and security oversight. The group says that these measures aim to "embody the values of mercy, tolerance, and justice," in addition to alleviating overcrowding in prisons. It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time that the Houthi authorities have announced mass releases of prisoners on religious occasions, as such steps raise controversy about the selection criteria and the transparency of procedures.