The head of the Prisoners' Foundation, Haig, accuses the UN envoy of not caring and the Houthis of refusing to give any information about Muhammad Qahtan.

For 9 years, the Yemeni politician, Muhammad Qahtan, is still forcibly hidden in the prisons of the Houthi militia, which refuses to release him or even disclose his fate. On April 4, 2015, Qahtan was kidnapped from his house in the capital, Sana’a.

On the anniversary of Qahtan’s kidnapping, the “Yemen Shabab Net” website conducted an interview with the head of the Prisoners and Detainees Foundation, Hadi Haig, and reviewed the details of the negotiations taking place with the Houthi militias in order to reveal Qahtan’s fate as part of the exchange deals that took place over the past years.

Al-Haij said, "The Houthi militia refuses to provide any information about Qahtan, let alone allow his family to visit him. The dispute still exists over the visit due to the group's renunciation of its obligations."

He added: "Those included in the UN resolution have been released, except for Qahtan, and this puts the United Nations in a humanitarian and moral position to put serious pressure on the Houthis to release him and allow his family to visit him as a priority."

Al-Haij pointed out that every time the Qahtan issue is brought up in negotiations, "Houthi representatives argue that they have no right to discuss it and demand a period of time to communicate with their leadership, after which the negotiations are thwarted and any deal is cancelled."

The head of the Prisoners' Foundation accused the United Nations of not showing sufficient interest in Qahtan's case. He said: "I met a few months ago with the envoy and raised this issue with him, but he comes with excuses that are not acceptable to us."

He called on the UN envoy to take a more serious stance towards Qahtan’s case and end the suffering of his family, which has been extending for 9 years.

Al-Haij said, "The release of Qahtan sends a reassuring signal to the Yemeni people that efforts to bring peace are moving in the right direction, considering Qahtan a symbol of politics, dialogue and coexistence."

Here is the text of the dialogue

• What information do you have about the politician Muhammad Qahtan and his status in Houthi prisons?

- Until now, the Houthi militia refuses to provide any information about Qahtan, let alone allow his family to visit him. The dispute still exists over the visit, as the group disavows its obligations in this matter.

Those included in the UN resolution were released, except for the politician Qahtan, and this puts the United Nations in a humanitarian and moral position to put serious pressure on the Houthis to release Qahtan and allow his family to visit him as a priority.

• Why does the Houthi group continue to hide Qahtan and refuse to reveal his fate?

- Al-Houthi refuses to even allow Qahtan to visit; Because Qahtan’s image terrifies them and makes them feel entitled to release him, since he was taken from his home without justification, and their continued concealment of him for 9 years is a complete war crime.

That is why they refuse to even talk about him, and yet we are adhering to our conditions and our declared position regarding the politician Qahtan and his status as a priority in the file.

• What is going on around Muhammad Qahtan in the negotiation sessions?

Qahtan and his colleagues included in the UN resolution are on the table in every round of negotiations starting from Stockholm 2018 until the last round last Ramadan, which is called the April 2023 deal, and after the release of his colleagues in prison, legitimacy became in a moral position that prompted it to take that position.

• What excuses does Al-Houthi make to refuse to expel Muhammad Qahtan?

- He has no excuse, and whenever it is presented by the legitimacy, they argue that they have no right to discuss it and demand a period of time to communicate with their leadership (i.e. the leadership of the Houthi group), after which the negotiations are thwarted and any deal is cancelled.

• When did you start the first negotiation process regarding Muhammad Qahtan, and how did Al-Houthi deal with it?