Three Inmates Die in Houthi-Controlled Ibb Prison Amid Neglect and Malnutrition

Three inmates have died within a single month at the central prison in Ibb Governorate, which is under Houthi control, due to deliberate medical neglect, severe malnutrition, and widespread financial and administrative corruption.

Sources from within the prison reveal that detainees are enduring tragic conditions, lacking basic necessities. Inmates are reportedly forced to drink unsafe water from bathroom taps due to the absence of clean water. The food provided is of poor quality with minimal nutritional value, a consequence of the diversion and theft of food allocations by prison administration.

According to the sources, the prison administration, led by an individual identified as Musleh Al-Ghazri, is engaged in extensive corruption. This includes withholding essential medications from sick inmates. When medications are available, they are allegedly smuggled out and sold on the black market instead of being distributed to those in need, leading to a significant deterioration in the health of many prisoners.

The three victims who passed away in recent weeks have been identified as Mousa Saleh Al-Jabri, who died approximately two weeks ago due to his deteriorating health; Mohammed Abdullah Al-Essa, who died the day after Al-Jabri; and Ammar Nabil Hassan Al-Alawi, who died yesterday. These deaths have caused shock and widespread fear among the remaining inmates.

Activists and human rights defenders have issued an urgent appeal to international and human rights organizations, including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, calling for immediate intervention to save the lives of the remaining prisoners. They are demanding a transparent investigation into the causes of these successive deaths and accountability for those involved in the negligence and corruption that have transformed the prison into a "center for slow death."

It is noted that prisons in Ibb Governorate have seen a significant increase in inmate deaths in recent years, attributed to a lack of international oversight and ongoing systematic violations against detainees.