A/HRC/30/31 I. Introduction 1. The present report, submitted to the Human Rights Council pursuant to its resolution 27/19, In the report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, covers the period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015, particularly in the context of the deterioration in the security situation in Yemen since September 2014. 2. During the period under review, the increasing level of insecurity in Yemen severely hampered the capacity of the Country Office of the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in Yemen to implement effectively its overall mandate, namely, that of monitoring allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of international human rights law, and also of undertaking a wide range of human rights activities, including capacity-building for national stakeholders. Notwithstanding the afore-mentioned challenges, the present report is primarily based on human rights monitoring carried out by OHCHR in Yemen and includes information provided by other United Nations entities operating in Yemen. Unless specifically stated, all reports of violations and abuses have been verified or cross-checked with a number of independent and credible sources. II. Background A. Political developments and security situation 3. During the period under review, Yemen was afflicted by increasing tensions that seriously compromised progress in a range of political and human rights developments. On 8 March 2014, presidential decrees No. 26/2014 and 27/2014 established a constitutional drafting commission and named its 17 members, including four women. The decrees provided that the drafting of the Constitution would be followed by public consultations and a referendum within one year. That process was interrupted when violent outbreaks increased in September 2014, with an immediate impact on the security situation in Sana’a and several main cities in the country. 4. Tensions began to grow in June and July 2014, when an armed offensive was launched in Amran Governorate by members of the Popular Committees, affiliated with the Houthi movement,1 led by Abdel Malik al-Houthi, in conjunction with deserters from the Yemeni Armed Forces and tribesmen loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh,2 against troops from the 310th Armoured Brigade of the Yemeni Army, led by Brigadier General Hamid Mohammed al-Qushaibi, as well as armed groups affiliated with the Islah party3 that are also in conflict with the Houthis. Those clashes reportedly resulted in at least 204 casualties and the displacement of tens of thousands of people in June and July 2014 alone. 1 2 3 The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, is a movement based on the Zaidi doctrine, and followers of the late Hussein al-Houthi, who was killed by the Yemeni Armed Forces in September 2004. The Houthis are known to have a large presence in the northern Governorate of Sa’ada. Ali Abdullah Saleh was the president of Yemen from 1990 until 2012, and previously served as President of North Yemen from 1978 until unification with South Yemen in 1990. In November 2011, following widespread protests against his Government, Saleh signed an agreement prepared by the Gulf Cooperation Council whereby he agreed to transfer power to the then Vice-President, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in exchange for immunity from criminal prosecution. The Islah is the name commonly used to refer to the Yemeni Congregation for Reform, a Yemeni political party established in 1990 and believed to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. 3