Yemen: Embargo Arms to Saudi Arabia
US, UK, France Risk Complicity in Unlawful Airstrikes
Tuesday 22 March 2016
(Sanaa, March 22, 2016) – The
United States,
United Kingdom,
France, and others should suspend all weapon sales to Saudi Arabia until it not only curtails its unlawful airstrikes in
Yemen but also credibly investigates alleged violations, Human Rights Watch said today.
Since March 26, 2015, a coalition of nine Arab countries has conducted military operations against the Houthi armed group and carried out numerous indiscriminate and disproportionate airstrikes. The airstrikes have continued despite a March 20 announcement of a new ceasefire. The coalition has consistently failed to investigate alleged unlawful attacks as the laws of war require. Saudi Arabia has been the leader of the coalition, with targeting decisions made in the Saudi Defense Ministry in Riyadh. Our recent multimedia publications on Yemen:Yemen: Coalition Strikes on Residence Apparent War CrimeYemen: Unlawful Airstrikes Kill Dozens of CiviliansYemen: Cluster Munitions Harm CiviliansYemen: Cluster Munitions Wounding CiviliansYemen: Coalition Fails to Investigate Unlawful AirstrikesYemen: Cluster Munition Rockets Kill, Injure Dozens