Report Documents Over 4,600 Houthi Violations Against Religious Sites and Clerics in Yemen

A report by a Yemeni human rights organization has documented more than 4,600 violations committed by Houthi militias against clerics, mosques, and religious minorities over the past decade, alleging a systematic campaign to seize control of religious institutions for political and military gain.

The Yemeni Women Empowerment Foundation (YWEF) released the findings on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. The report covers 14 Yemeni provinces between January 2014 and August 2026, detailing 4,651 distinct offenses attributed to the Iran-backed militia. Titled "The Blood of Imams, Mosque Preachers, and Religious Minorities in Yemen: A Living Witness to Houthi Militia Crimes," the document outlines a pattern of killings, abductions, torture, and the suppression of religious freedom.

According to the data, these violations have resulted in 311 deaths and 231 injuries. Furthermore, 679 individuals were abducted or detained, with 143 reporting incidents of torture while in custody, leading to 13 deaths. The militia is also accused of imposing 938 loyalist imams and preachers, repurposing 491 mosques for military use, and utilizing 114 mosques as operational command centers. Additional findings include the confiscation of hundreds of religious libraries and endowment properties.

The foundation documented 902 instances of sectarian-based attacks, desecration, or forced doctrinal changes, alongside the seizure of 151 religious facilities and residences. The report notes that these practices have fundamentally altered the role of mosques, transforming them from centers of worship into instruments for ideological mobilization and political control. The organization also highlighted ongoing systemic harassment against religious minorities, including the Baha'i community.

The YWEF warned that many of these documented acts may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity under international law. The organization has called for the immediate release of those currently detained, the disclosure of the fates of the forcibly disappeared, and an end to the military use of religious sites. The report concludes by urging the international community to establish a mechanism for gathering evidence to hold perpetrators accountable and to facilitate the restoration of confiscated religious endowments, asserting that impunity remains a significant obstacle to sustainable peace in Yemen.