Two Australian Kids Under House Arrest in Yemen
The woman is being held without charges on suspicion of ties to an “Islamist group.” Her children aged 5 and 7 are under house arrest, under the supervision of police officers, and a 17 year old Bangladeshi girl is with them in the house. A neighbor is allowed in twice a day to tend to them. HOOD’s letter to the Australian Foreign Affairs Office follows.
TVNZ: An Australian woman who converted to Islam and moved to Yemen in 2006 has been detained in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on suspicion of links to unnamed radical Islamist groups, her lawyer said today.
The lawyer, Abdel Rahman Barman, identified his client as Shyloh Giddens, and said she was arrested because of her ties to a Bangladeshi woman taken into custody in May over suspicion of links to radical Islamists.
“There is no formal charge against her,” he said. “Many people are arrested here over mere suspicion.”
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, without naming the woman, said she was detained on May 16 after spending two days under house arrest with her children, aged 5 and 7.
“Yemeni authorities have not told us what charges the woman may face, or how long she may be detained,” an Australian foreign affairs spokeswoman said.
She said the Australian authorities had cancelled the woman’s passport in April on security grounds, adding however that the woman retained her citizenship…
Barman, the lawyer, said Yemeni security forces had told him they were concerned about al Qaeda planning to use women in an attack, but noted that they had been unable to find a direct link between the Bangladeshi woman and any al Qaeda operatives.
Giddens was still being investigated, he said, while the Bangladeshi woman was to be deported home.
Yemen’s Western allies and Saudi Arabia fear al Qaeda is trying to exploit instability in Yemen to use the impoverished Arabian peninsula state, with conflicts in its north and south, to launch attacks in the region and beyond.
The Australian spokeswoman said Canberra had urged Yemeni authorities to speed up looking to the case, adding that Australia was concerned over the children’s welfare.
The two children remained under house arrest in Sanaa and were being cared for by their mother’s housemates. Yemeni authorities confiscated the children’s passports and have not released them, the spokeswoman said.
For the Attention of : Australian Government – Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Dear the Hon Stephen Smith MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs
After Greetings…
Subject: House Arrest for Two Australian Kids in Yemen
The inhumane action of the Yemeni Political Security Office to detain two Australian kids: Omer,7, and Ameena,5.
Under house arrest, two kids are kept inside a small department surrounded by security officers denying them attending their final exams at their nursery school following the arrest of their mother on May15.
Mrs. Shyloh Jayne Giddins, was under house arrest with her children in Sana’a, the capital, since May 11, and then she was taken on May15 leaving the children alone up to this moment. Mrs. Shyloh’s detention violates the Yemeni Law. She was denied access to her lawyer and visitations as well.
Your Consular [the Australian Council resided in Saudi Arabia] who visited Yemen last week was also denied official visit to her and treated with a complete negligence and contempt by the prison administration and the Yemeni security authority. We, as a human rights organization, concerning with any human regardless of their religion or nationality or color, consider the act of the Political Security Office in Yemen a sham for us as Yemeni citizens.
We believe that people carrying your nationality, regardless of being Muslims or not, are entitled legal rights that are protected under your country either inside or outside Australia. So, why this case in particular receive such clear negligence and ignorance from your side. According to the Yemeni law, Mrs. Shyloh has the right to contact her lawyer and family members. The Yemeni Constitution prohibits her detention for more than 24 hours for questioning. She must be tried if she is found guilty. This is an obligation on Yemen pertinent to its constitution, laws and the international convention to which Yemen is a party. We, as a human rights organization, reiterate that whatever charges attributed to this Australian lady, she has the right of fair trial in Yemen and a legal protection from your country.
Therefore, we address you and hope your country would interfere at the high levels to reserve the rights of your citizens based on the Yemeni laws and the International law and conventions and the mutual respect among the world countries
Significantly, the Yemeni security authorities had detained many foreigners but in no time they received an instant interference from their home countries seeking their release and it was very honorable and effective. However, we wonder whether your country is of less humanity or power or influence than any other western country- we do not believe in this- to avoid harm happened to your nationals here in Yemen, or is it that because this woman is Muslim and got involved in the so-called “counter terrorism” surprise you and fail a great country like yours to react towards its citizens in equal.
Lawyer\ Mohammed Naji Allawo
HOOD Coordinator
2010-06-01
