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Concerns about a Yemeni student’s death in detention

2 October 2007, 01:31PM

Amnesty International is deeply concerned by reports that the death of 25-year old student Hashem Abdullah Yahya Hajar on 30 September 2007, may be the result of medical neglect during the five months that he had been in detention.

The organisation is calling on the Yemeni authorities to launch a prompt, thorough and independent investigation into his death and to take immediate steps to ensure that other detainees receive adequate medical treatment.

Hashem Abdullah Yahya Hajar died at 5.00am on 30 September 2007, eight hours after the detaining authorities transferred him from the Central Prison to nearby Al-Thawrah Hospital in Sana'a. According to information received by Amnesty International, Hashem Abdullah Yahya Hajar, who had been in detention for five months, was denied timely and adequate medical attention despite repeated efforts by his family and lawyer to alert the detaining authorities to his serious condition including providing the authorities with a medical report indicating the seriousness of his medical condition and his treatment needs, which were beyond the facilities available in his prison where he had been detained. The medical report from the Kuwait University Hospital in Sana'a stated that he was suffering from chronic liver disease, hypertension, and congestive splenomegaly, and that he needed continuous supervision because of the risks associated with the necessary treatment. The report also advised that Hashem Abdullah Yahya Hajar needed rest and reduced stress.

His serious medical condition was publicised by journalists and led human rights activists to press the authorities to move him to hospital for medical treatment but the authorities failed to take action until around 9:00pm on 29 September, just a few hours before his death.

Hashem Abdullah Yahya Hajar's death has also raised concern about other detainees who are known to be suffering from ill-health and who are reported not to be receiving adequate medical attention. They include two prisoners of conscience, Hassan Ba'oom and Nasser al-Nouba, who are respectively held at al-Mukalla in south-east Yemen and Aden in the south of the country. Hassan Ba'oom, aged 66, is said to suffer from diabetes, hypertension, renal dysfunctions, and to have difficulty breathing difficulties; he had open heart surgery about one year ago. Nasser al-Nouba, a retired army brigadier in his 50s, is reported to suffer from heart disease and diabetes. He is reportedly allowed to take his regular medicine but need and as yet has been denied hospital treatment.

Amnesty International is calling on the government to release immediately and unconditionally all detainees who are being held for the peaceful expression of their conscientiously held beliefs and for all other detainees to be charged and brought to trial, fairly and promptly, on recognisably criminal charges or released.

Background

Some 100 people arrested in connection with armed clashes between government forces and followers of al-Huthi family from the Zaidi Shi'a community, which occurred in January 2007 in Sa'da in north Yemen, are currently being detained in various parts of the country. Some have been charged with offences and are facing trials in courts whose proceedings fail to meet international standards for fair trial, but the majority are held without charge or trial, including some who have been held for more than eight months. Many of them are believed to be possible prisoners of conscience.

In addition, more than a dozen people are being detained in connection with peaceful demonstrations organised by retired soldiers from the army of the former Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) which occurred in southern cities, particularly Aden, al-Mukalla and al-Dali', since the beginning of August 2007. The former soldiers' protests have centred on allegations that they receive inferior treatment in employment, salary and pensions compared to former soldiers in the north of the country. The government has promised to address the grievances of the protesters.

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