Sana’a —  Human rights organizations have released alarming reports documenting extensive violations committed by the Houthi movement against mosques, religious scholars, and worshippers across northern Yemen. The findings point to a systematic campaign of repression targeting religious institutions and figures who oppose or diverge from the group’s ideological doctrine.

According to the Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms, between January 2015 and June 2025, 4,896 violations were recorded against religious figures and places of worship. These include 277 killings, with victims ranging from mosque imams and preachers to Quran teachers and worshippers. The breakdown includes 72 deaths by direct gunfire, 28 from beatings, 19 from stabbings, and 19 from indiscriminate shelling, in addition to 178 physical injuries.

In a separate report, Rights Radar documented over 735 violations, including 51 killings and more than 560 abductions of religious figures. The group highlighted a coordinated crackdown in provinces such as Al-Bayda, Ibb, and Raymah, where Houthi forces reportedly stormed mosques, kidnapped imams, and shut down Quran memorization centers. Notable cases include the arrests of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Wahashi and Sheikh Ibrahim Abduljabbar.

The reports also detail the replacement of mosque libraries with sectarian literature, the banning of religious lessons, and the forced expulsion of families of religious leaders. These actions are seen as part of a broader effort to impose ideological control and suppress dissent within Houthi-controlled territories.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) echoed these concerns in its August 2025 factsheet, warning of “systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom” by the Houthi movement. The report cited abuses against a wide range of religious groups, including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Ahmadiyya Muslims, and dissenting Sunni clerics.

Rights advocates and international observers have called for urgent action to protect religious freedom in Yemen and hold perpetrators accountable. They warn that continued repression could deepen sectarian divides and undermine prospects for peace and reconciliation.