Hajjah – Local sources in Hajjah Governorate have reported a disturbing incident involving a Houthi field supervisor who allegedly detained a 13-year-old boy inside a metal cage typically used for storing firewood. 

The boy, identified as Mustafa Hussein, was reportedly held in the cage for hours in Al-Kabada village, Aslam District, under the orders of a Houthi official named Ali Saleh.

Eyewitnesses described the act as a form of public humiliation and psychological abuse, sparking outrage among residents and rights advocates. 

The child was reportedly punished for reasons linked to minor disputes with local Houthi affiliates, though no formal charges or legal procedures were followed.

In a separate but related incident, armed Houthi militants assaulted and insulted several women in a neighboring district, further fueling concerns over escalating abuses in areas under Houthi control. 

The women were allegedly targeted during a protest over food aid distribution and local governance, and were subjected to beatings and verbal degradation.

Human rights organizations have condemned the incidents as part of a broader pattern of systematic repression, arbitrary punishment, and gender-based violence in Houthi-held territories. 

Calls are mounting for international monitoring and accountability mechanisms to protect civilians from such violations.

The Houthi leadership has not issued any official response to the allegations, and local tribal leaders say tensions remain high in the affected communities.