Yemeni Presidency Denounces Houthi Violation of Judicial Independence: Destructive Measures to Strengthen Dominance of a Certain Group and Implement a Sectarian Agenda

The Yemeni presidency denounced the Houthi militia's violations of the independence of the judiciary, describing the proposed amendments to the Judicial Authority Law as provocative and destructive, aiming to strengthen the dominance of a certain group's followers supported by Iran and implement a sectarian agenda.

The Yemeni News Agency (Saba) quoted a responsible source in the office of the presidency of the republic, denouncing the serious violations committed by the Houthi militias of the law of the judiciary and its independence, which is protected by the constitution and national and international legislation.

The source considered that the terrorist militias' proposal to propose what they called "the draft amendment to the Judicial Authority Law" represents a blatant violation of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, as part of their systematic targeting of the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the constitution, national legislation, and international charters and treaties.

The source said, "The coincidence of these destructive measures against the remaining state institutions with the anniversary of the September 26 Revolution is an insistence on challenging the will of the Yemeni people who made all the sacrifices in defense of the republican system and its national gains, and rejected the priestly Imamate system forever."

The source added, "The militias want, through these measures, to strengthen the dominance of a certain group of their followers over the usurped institutions, most notably the judiciary, by limiting appointments to seminary graduates and those loyal to their destructive sectarian project, and excluding honorable men of justice and lawyers who defend rights and freedoms, and replacing them with agents of Sharia law to implement their agenda and transform the judiciary into a means of blackmail and terrorizing their opponents who reject their coup project."

The source stressed the rejection of this provocative step, and emphasized its illegitimacy as it was issued by criminal coup militias that do not have any legal authority over the independent judiciary.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Judges Club and the Bar Association announced in two separate statements their rejection of the draft resolution and pledged to confront it, considering it a massacre, a coup against the judiciary, and an attempt to restore the defunct Imamate regime.

This comes one day after the Houthis announced the submission of a draft resolution amending the Judicial Authority Law, which allows the head of the militia authority to appoint judges from outside the judiciary only, provided that they obtain a certificate of good conduct and behavior.

The new Houthi law also prevents lawyers from working and reinstates the system of agents from outside the lawyers.