With regard to excessive and disproportionate use of force against protesters and extrajudicial killings of civilians, and other serious human rights violations:
Yemen should issue orders to all its law enforcements and security agencies not to use live ammunition and other types of lethal force against protesters who are not posing a risk to their lives or to the lives of others. Such force should only be used as a last resort when lives are under direct threat.
Yemen should promptly take effective steps to launch a transparent and independent investigation, in accordance with international standards, into all allegations of involvement of members of its law enforcement and security agencies in the killings of civilians, excessive use of force against civilians, arbitrary detention and torture and ill-treatment, whether this is related to its ongoing repression of pro-democracy movements, or to other campaigns of repressions – the unrests in the south, the conflict in the north and the fight against Al-Qaida’s presence in Yemen. Depending on the finding of the investigation, it should institute proceedings and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable, notwithstanding that the violations has been committed by persons acting in their official capacity. It should also provide remedies to victims, and where applicable, to victim’s families who suffered harm.
