Dhamar (South24 Center) 

Five prisoners, all accused of murder, escaped from the central prison in Dhamar city, south of Sanaa, which is under Houthi control. The incident has sparked widespread concern regarding the management of penal institutions in areas controlled by the group.

A journalistic source told ‘South24 Center’ that the prisoners escaped on Monday (June 2) after scaling the prison wall during a Houthi-organized event in the facility’s courtyard. The event involved bringing out a large number of inmates, potentially providing cover for the escape.

The source indicated that a vehicle was waiting for the escapees near the prison wall, suggesting "strong indications of internal collusion”.

The Dhamar Central Prison currently holds around 1,800 prisoners, more than four times its original capacity of 400 inmates, forcing authorities to convert some healthcare facilities into temporary wards. Local sources report that overcrowding has led to the spread of skin diseases among inmates and deteriorating sanitary conditions.

Prison records show that four of the escapees face charges of premeditated murder, while the fifth is accused of assault leading to death.

Activists circulated a video on social media showing the moment one of the prisoners escaped, with no immediate security response from the guards.

فيديو متداول للحظة هروب 5 سجناء
من السجن المركزي في #ذمار ظهر امس . pic.twitter.com/kOsihIbpxR

— Sharaf al-Din (@nwrsd382019) June 2, 2025

Houthi authorities have yet to issue an official statement. However, local sources confirmed that security checkpoints have been instructed to track the fugitives, amid growing public pressure to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

The escape raises renewed concerns about the Houthi group’s management of prisons in areas under their control, particularly given past cases of their releasing prisoners accused of serious crimes.

This incident also raises questions about the security standards and institutional oversight in detention facilities already suffering from poor infrastructure and severe overcrowding.

Earlier, the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen had documented in its annual reports connections between the Houthis and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), noting that the group had released several jihadist elements previously detained by Yemen’s Political and National Security agencies.