A/HRC/12/13
Page 9
49.
Djibouti welcomed the establishment of several specialized committees and measures
taken to harmonize legislation with ratified international instruments.
50.
The delegation noted that Yemen had adopted a number of legislative and legal
measures to protect all human rights and that the Council of Ministers had recently appointed
experts to elaborate a national human rights strategy that focused, inter alia, on harmonizing laws
with the international instruments Yemen has ratified and integrating the concepts and principles
of human rights in all educational curriculums. Within the Ministry of Human Rights there are a
number of departments that are directly concerned with human issues like the general directorate
of complaints and petitions.
51.
Freedom of expression and opinion and freedom of the press are perfectly protected
through the Constitution and no restrictions or threats are facing journalists. Yemen receives a
great number of foreign media correspondents and there are more than 400 publications available
in Yemen. The President of the Republic has recently issued a decree preventing imprisonment
of any journalist for any issue connected with publications and freedom of opinion and speech.
The Jewish people, the Baha’is and other minorities in Yemen live a secure and stable life,
protected by the Constitution and enjoy all human rights without any discrimination on the basis
of religion or ethnicity. The delegation affirmed that no capital punishment through stoning has
ever taken place in Yemen.
52.
The delegation noted that there are continued efforts to combat trafficking in children,
which is a shrinking phenomenon, and that Yemen had adopted a comprehensive plan to combat
the smuggling of children outside the country. Solitary confinement is strictly limited to three
cases: as a disciplinary measure in prisons, which cannot exceed 15 days; for those who have
received capital sentences; and finally for detainees who suffer mental diseases, before referring
them to mental care institutions.
53.
The delegation categorically refuted the need for Yemen to take any measures to abolish
child executions because they do not exist and have no place in legislation or the judicial system.
The age of criminal responsibility that would constitute a possible basis for capital punishment is
18 years. No child under 18 has ever been executed, and this finds its basis in the Islamic sharia.
Sexual harassment is addressed in the penal code namely under the categories of rape and acts of
indecency. Sexual harassment is well covered and sanctioned by the law. The delegation
categorically stated that there is no policy that advocates torture in Yemen. Torture is
criminalized by both the Constitution and the laws and the perpetrators of such crimes are
punished after being tried and the acts of torture are not covered by prescription. Places of pretrial detention and prisons are under the direct supervision of the judiciary. In the very rare cases
where it has been proven that an accused was tortured, those responsible were apprehended and
questioned administratively first, and if their acts proved to be deliberate, they were referred to
courts.
54.
All places of detention are under the supervision of the judiciary and the rights of
detainees are fully protected. Any shortcomings are due to the scarcity of financial resources.
The fight against terrorism in Yemen is carried out in a manner that respects all human rights and
Yemen has sought to engage in dialogue with the perpetrators of terrorist acts in order to
convince them to forsake the path they adopted. Trials are held according to the legal norms and
there is cooperation with the relevant United Nations organs.
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