A/HRC/41/9 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirty-second session from 21 January to 1 February 2019. The review of Yemen was held at the 6th meeting, on 23 January 2019. The delegation of Yemen was headed by the Minister of Human Rights of Yemen, Mohammed Mohsen Mohammed Askar. At its 10th meeting, held on 25 January 2019, the Working Group adopted the report on Yemen. 2. On 15 January 2019, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Yemen: Bulgaria, Burkina Faso and Fiji. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Yemen: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/YEM/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/YEM/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/YEM/3 and Corr.1). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Portugal, on behalf of the Group of Friends on national implementation, reporting and follow-up, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Yemen through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of Yemen highlighted the importance of human rights for peace, stability, liberty and equal opportunity in the world and the role of the Human Rights Council and the universal periodic review in protecting and promoting human rights. 6. During its previous review, the Government had accepted 167 of the 191 recommendations made. Subsequently, the Government had set up a committee to implement the recommendations in the context of the National Dialogue Conference, which included a wide range of civil society actors. 7. The objective of the National Dialogue Conference had been to create a new national constitution and a modern Yemeni State. The outcome document of the Conference had laid the basis for the new constitution and had been intended as a road map for addressing political, economic, social and cultural issues in the future. 8. However, on 21 September 2014, Houthi militia had led a coup d’état against the legitimate Government, taking control of State institutions in Sana’a and interrupting the new political process. As a result of the complex and difficult situation in Yemen that resulted, the universal periodic review recommendations accepted by the Government could not be implemented. The legitimate government had sought to restore peace in Yemen according to the three terms of reference agreed upon locally, regionally and internationally, namely the outcomes of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference; the Initiative of the Gulf Cooperation Council and its executive mechanism; and the resolutions of the Security Council, especially resolution 2216 (2015). Those terms of reference had been rejected by the Houthi. 2