Yemen: Houthis Sentence 17 to Death for Espionage

A Houthi court in Yemen sentenced 17 people to death for spying for foreign countries, including Israel, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. The sentences were announced by the SABA news agency.

The convicted individuals were accused of providing information about government officials, movements, missiles, and facilities, facilitating attacks that caused dozens of deaths. The Houthi movement, which has controlled the capital Sanaa since 2014, did not disclose the names of those convicted.

The Houthis have intensified arrests for espionage, particularly after the killing of their officials in an Israeli bombing. They have also accused UN agencies of spying. Since October 2023, the Houthis have launched attacks against Israel and commercial ships, while Israel and the US have responded with airstrikes.

Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in 2015 against the Houthis, and a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 2022.