Lawyer: Houthi amendments to the Judicial Law cancel political pluralism and impose a regional system

A Yemeni lawyer confirmed that the Houthi amendments approved last week to the Judicial Authority Law aim to abolish the democratic system and political pluralism, and impose a regional system that leads to the fragmentation of the country.

The Houthi militia, through the parliament under its control, approved last Wednesday a draft Houthi amendment to the Judicial Authority Law, allowing it to appoint people from outside the judiciary.

Commenting on the Houthi amendments, lawyer Abdul Fattah Al-Washli said, “Although these amendments appear to be mercy and judicial reform, their impact and results are very great, and their essence is a radical change to the entire political system.”

Al-Washli stressed that “the amendments are very clear, their main goal is to merge all the state’s authorities into one authority, to reach absolute power...” stressing that this means “abolishing the democratic system and political pluralism and imposing a regional system that leads to the fragmentation of the nation.”

Lawyer Al-Washli added: “This does not mean that they are seeking to return the ruling system to monarchy or Imamate or even the Guardianship of the Jurist; rather, it seems that they will go further than that...”

He pointed out that "the amendments necessarily require amending many of the laws in force by deleting many articles and amending some of them, especially those that limit opposition to the protection of rights and freedoms, and they have actually prepared them and do not hide that, including the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Code of Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure."

He pointed out that "among the amendments to the Criminal Procedures Law that they have prepared is preventing lawyers from appearing before the security services, and this means granting the security services absolute authority to open illegal prisons and detention centers, and to detain people in those prisons and detention centers for long periods without accountability or oversight, and often for political reasons or for personal vengeful motives."

He pointed out that "lawyers alone, according to the Lawyers' Law, are the ones who confront the authorities and their security agencies to protect the rights and freedoms of members of society, including confronting the security agencies to curb the excesses of their members when they deprive people of their freedoms outside the law."

He said, "Preventing lawyers means silencing their voices, and if their voices are silenced, all the rights and freedoms of the members of society are violated," stressing that "their view of the law and lawyers is one of hostility and hatred that is absolutely unjustified."

It is noteworthy that the Houthi militia had issued, on Saturday, appointments in the judiciary, some of whom were from outside the judiciary, two days after amendments were made to the Judicial Authority Law stipulating this.

It is worth noting that the period of time that the Houthi militia took to make amendments to the law did not exceed two days only, as the council held its sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday only, and the sessions ended with the approval of amending some articles of the law, which was met with great disapproval by experts and those interested in judicial affairs.

The Yemeni Bar Association and Judges Club announced their clear and categorical rejection of the Houthi amendments to the Judicial Authority Law, stressing that they would take the necessary measures to confront it, considering these amendments a coup against the judiciary and an attempt to restore the Imamate judicial system.

“Among the amendments to the Criminal Procedures Law that they have prepared is preventing lawyers from appearing before the security services. This means giving the security services absolute authority to open illegal prisons and detention centers and detain people in those prisons and detention centers for long periods without accountability or oversight.”

Abdul Fattah Al-Washli, the lawyer:…

— Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem (@CivicCoalition) September 13, 2024