A/HRC/39/43 72. In the context of naval operations around Hudaydah Governorate, Saudi Arabian forces routinely arrested Yemeni fishermen. The Group of Experts investigated cases that occurred between October 2016 and April 2018 in which 148 fishermen were arrested by coalition forces. Victims were taken to detention facilities in Saudi Arabia and remained incommunicado. Many were beaten and interrogated and some were kept in solitary confinement for prolonged periods. Most have been released, but 18 fishermen, all held for more than one year, remain missing. 73. The Group has reasonable grounds to believe that the Governments of Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are responsible for human rights violations, including enforced disappearance. As most of these violations appear to be conflict related, they may amount to the following war crimes: rape, degrading and cruel treatment, torture and outrages upon personal dignity. 74. The Group conducted interviews, including with former detainees, related to detention by the de facto authorities, and visited Sana’a Central Prison. Access to the National Security Bureau and the Political Security Organization in Sana’a was conditioned by the de facto authorities on guarantees that the facilities visited would not be targeted by air strikes. The visits therefore did not take place as the Group of Experts was not in a position to offer such guarantees. 75. From September 2014, the de facto authorities consolidated control of detention facilities previously run by the Government as they seized territory, including in Sana’a, Sa’dah, Ibb, Hudaydah and parts of Ta’izz. They appointed “supervisors” in detention facilities, relieving existing authorities of their duties or rendering them redundant. Furthermore, they turned mosques, schools and homes confiscated from political opponents into undeclared detention centres. 76. Detainees include individuals perceived to be opposed to the de facto authorities, including students, human rights defenders, journalists and supporters of political parties. 77. Baha’is have also been targeted. The Group of Experts is aware of several Baha’is detained in Sana’a on the basis of their faith, some for more than two years. In 2018, another Baha’i, detained since 2013, was sentenced to death in Sana’a after a hearing neither he nor his family were allowed to attend. The same ruling also disbanded all Baha’i assemblies. The de facto authorities denied the Group’s request to visit the victim in detention. In a televised speech on 23 March 2018, the leader of the Houthis described the Baha’i faith as “satanic” and “engaged in a war against Islam”. 78. The Group of Experts received information concerning ill-treatment and torture of detainees at the national security bureau, the Political Security Organization, the Criminal Investigation Department and in the Habrah and Al-Thawra prisons in Sana’a, among other facilities under the control of the de facto authorities. 79. A significant number of former detainees believed they had been released as part of detainee exchange agreements between parties to the conflict. 80. The Group of Experts has reasonable grounds to believe that the de facto authorities are responsible for international human rights violations. Where these violations by the de facto authorities are associated with the armed conflict, they may amount to the following war crimes: degrading and cruel treatment, torture and outrages upon personal dignity. 4. Violations of freedom of expression 81. The Group of Experts has reasonable grounds to believe that, since September 2014, parties to the conflict in Yemen have severely restricted the right to freedom of expression. In addition, human rights defenders have faced relentless harassment, threats and smear campaigns from the Government, coalition forces, including those of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and the de facto authorities. 82. In this climate, women human rights defenders, journalists and activists have faced specific repression on the basis of gender. The Group has documented at least 20 such cases committed by parties to the conflict. Many women faced threats from all sides, suggesting that discrimination against women is endemic. 11