Following al Ghadeer arrests, police throw rocks, arrest HR activist
25 Zaids arrested on al Ghadeer day for celebrating the holiday including a 60 year old Imam. His son was arrested when he went to the police station to inquire about his father.
Yemen Times: SANA’A, Dec.1 — Human rights activist Mohammad Al-Moayad was detained by police in Amran yesterday when he went to the police station to enquire why Zaidis were arrested last Friday.
Police arrested at least 25 Zaidis on Friday when they commemorated Al-Ghadeer day, a Shiite religious ceremony. Al-Moayad is a member of the Yemeni Democratic Organization for Defending Human Rights that had obtained permission from the Supreme Court to investigate police charges against the Zaidis.
Ali Al-Dailami, head of the human rights organization, told the Yemen Times yesterday that they “went to Amran security office to find out why Zaidis were arrested when they were celebrating Al-Ghadeer day.
“We were astonished when the head of the security office came out angrily and threw stones at us. After that Al-Moayad and two of the detainees relatives were arrested,” said Al-Dailami.
He said that although those arrested on Friday shared the same Islamic affiliation to the Zaidi sect, this did not necessarily mean that they had any connection with the Houthis.
Abdulsalam Al-Makhethi, 31, said that his 60-year-old father and brother were also arrested. He said that his brother was taken into custody when he went to the police station to ask about their father.
“They have nothing to do with the Houthis. They were arrested without committing any crime. My father is a Zaidi imam and was dancing on the celebration day,” said Al-Makhethi.
