FACTSHEET
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN HOUTHI-
CONTROLLED AREAS OF YEMEN
UNITED STATES COMMISSION on
INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
732 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite #A714
Washington, DC 20401
202-523-3240
May 2023
By Hilary Miller, Researcher
Religious Freedom in
Houthi‑ControlledAreasof Yemen
Overview
Religious freedom conditions in Yemen continue to deteriorate after nearly eight years
of war, particularly in the one-third of northern Yemen controlled by Ansar Allah, the
Houthi rebel movement. Despite not having made major territorial gains in the last
year, the Houthis continued to perpetrate extreme violations of freedom of religion or
belief with significant impacts, especially on religious minorities and women.
This factsheet outlines religious freedom conditions in Houthi-controlled areas of
Yemen. Houthi governance justified on religious grounds is putting severe pressure
on religious minorities including Christians, Baha’is, Jews, and non-religious persons.
The Houthis use a panoply of tools and tactics — such as forced employee contracts,
oral directives, deputizing civilians, propaganda, indoctrination camps, and education
curricula — to harass, defame, and incite hatred against vulnerable faith communities.
Furthermore, the Houthi movement continues to spread its dominance and control
over areas in northern Yemen through its systematic religious indoctrination
campaign that reaches across multiple sectors, including education, health, and
detention facilities, as well as civil society. Religious minority life in Houthi-controlled
areas faces near-total extinction; Houthi targeting of Baha’is, Christians, Jews, and
non-religious persons has compelled many to flee to the south or leave Yemen entirely
seeking safety and refuge abroad. The few remaining members of each community stay
hidden due to threats of Houthi harassment, intimidation, and violence.
The situation of women living under Houthi rule has also grown more dire.
Authorities have increasingly imposed policies with a religious underpinning that
restrict women’s religious freedom. These include male guardian requirements for
travel and forced segregation in public spaces.
Background
The Houthi movement was founded in 1992 by Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi
and promotes Zaidi Shi’a Muslim revivalism and education. It came to oppose the
government of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and began expanding its
territorial control in 2014 under the leadership of al-Houthi’s brother, Abdul Malik al-
Nury Turkel
Chair
Abraham Cooper
Vice Chair
Commissioners
David Curry
Frederick A. Davie
Sharon Kleinbaum
Mohamed Magid
Stephen Schneck
Eric Ueland
Frank Wolf
Erin D. Singshinsuk
Executive Director
USCIRF’s Mission
To advance international
freedom of religion or
belief, by independently
assessing and uninchingly
confronting threats to this
fundamentalright.
www.USCIRF.gov
@USCIRF
Media@USCIRF.gov
