A/HRC/45/CRP.7
Group received reports that around July 2019 these forces stopped detaining migrants in those
facilities, due to alleged lack of funding.283 This coincides in time with the UAE commencing
its withdrawal of ground troops from Yemen.
196. During this reporting period, as a result of its further investigations into the situation
of detained migrants, the Group verified that during the four month period from March to
June 2019, Security Belt forces raped five women and four girls, and subjected 12 men and
three boys to forced nudity and two women and two girls to other forms of sexual violence.284
The Group also received credible reports of the rape of one boy and the attempted rape of
another boy, and allegations that forces raped another 30 women and girls and three boys.
197. Survivors told the Group that they initially arrived in Yemen via the Ras Al-Ara’
coastline in south-west Yemen. Upon arrival, smugglers would detain them in informal
captivity camps, with some recounting being raped and tortured in those same camps.285
Those released or those who managed to escape travelled in groups on foot towards Aden en
route to Saudi Arabia, their original final destination. Unable to avoid the checkpoints and
military patrols along the Lahij-Aden highway, or even when directly seeking help from the
military, they were detained and taken to ad-hoc military facilities nearby, including the “22
May Stadium”, in Sheikh Othman, in Aden. Migrants reported ultimately being transferred
to this stadium from the other ad hoc facilities.
23 May 2019 DigitalGlobe WorldView-3 Image (©2019 DigitalGlobe)
“They raped us as if we were animals. The violence and humiliation from the
soldiers was so much worse than from the smugglers. One night they were
raping me and I was in severe pain because of the previous rapes. My friend,
who they were not raping that night, came over to help, and offered to switch
places, for her to be raped instead of me.” Woman survivor of rape286
198. United Arab Emirates-backed Security Belt forces perpetrated rape and sexual
violence at one such facility287 on the Lahij-Aden highway as well as at the “22 May
Stadium”. Sometimes violations happened in full view of others, which created fear among
283
Confidential source on file.
Confidential sources on file.
285 See also Treatment of specific groups section.
286 Confidential sources on file.
287 At the time of writing, the Group is yet to verify the exact location of this military facility.
284
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