Calls for Houthis to release head of Yemen university

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) on Monday called on the Houthis to release Dr Hameed Mohammed Aklan, rector of the University of Science and Technology in Yemeni, from prison.

The GCHR said that Dr Aklan is being held in the central prison in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, after being charged on fabricated grounds more than five months ago.

On 11 February, Aklan was arrested along with four of his companions and relatives. Those arrested with him were released weeks later, however, he remains in custody. He had previously been arrested on 25 January and was held for eight days.

The Houthis have demanded he hand over the financial and electronic records of the university and hospital. They accuse him of smuggling the details to Aden, where the university owners are based; as a result, he has been charged with “aiding aggression”.

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In his defence, Aklan said he had no hand in transferring all the material related to the financial and electronic systems of the university and its hospital.

Aklan, 54, holds a specialised degree in diagnostic radiology and works as an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Science and Technology.