Houthi rebels arrest Baha’i spokesman in Yemen purge

THE spokesman for the beleaguered Baha’i community in Yemen has been arrested as part of the Houthi rebels’ latest crackdown on the religious minority.

The Baha’i faith is a small monotheistic religion which began in Persia in the 1800s and now faces widespread persecution by Iran and its allies across the Middle East.

The Houthi rebels, who control Yemen’s capital Sana’a and are backed by Iran, have arrested dozens of Baha’i since 2016 and sentenced several of them to death.

Abdullah al-Olofi, a Baha’i spokesman, was on his way to the market in Sana’a on Thursday when he was surrounded by troops who pulled up in two pick up trucks, according to Baha’i Community in the UK. He was reportedly blindfolded, and led away.

Last month, the Houthis brought espionage charges against 24 Baha’i, including eight women and a teenage girl. The group could face execution if convicted.

A panel of UN experts this week called for the charges to be dropped and said the Houthis must end their campaign against the Baha’i.

“We are very concerned at the criminal prosecution of these persons based on charges connected to their religion or belief. We are particularly concerned that some of the charges include crimes that carry the death penalty,” the UN experts said.

“We reiterate our call to the de facto authorities in Sana’a to put an immediate stop to the persistent persecution of Baha’is in Yemen and to release those arrested due to their religion or belief.”

The Baha’i believe that the Houthi persecution is being carried out at the behest of Iran, which has a long history of discriminating against the Baha’i.