Sana'a – Saba:
The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights on Wednesday organized a legal seminar on "Rules of Asylum and Legal Protection for Refugees," attended by 27 representatives from various government bodies, including the Presidency, Supreme Judicial Council, and key ministries.
Ambassador Abdul-Ilah Hajar, Advisor to the President of the Supreme Political Council, highlighted the seminar's importance given the influx of African refugees into Yemen and the absence of a national asylum law, despite Yemen being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. He hoped the seminar's outcomes would help regulate refugee flows.
Deputy Minister of Justice and Human Rights Judge Ibrahim Al-Shami, emphasized that the right to asylum is a fundamental human right rooted in faith and humanitarian principles. He urged the international community to support Yemen in managing refugee waves, improve refugee conditions, and build legislative capacities for asylum-related agencies.
Judge Khaled al-Baghdadi, head of the Technical Office, noted that the refugee crisis is a pressing international issue heavily impacting Yemen. He stressed the need to assess whether a national asylum law would burden the state amidst ongoing aggression and blockade. Ambassador Dr. Ahmed Al-Emad, Dean of the Diplomatic Institute, affirmed Yemen's historical role as a transit and safe haven for refugees.
The seminar included working papers on asylum concepts and legal frameworks, concluding with recommendations to strengthen Yemen's legislative system, including forming a committee to study existing laws and potentially drafting a new asylum law. It also called for continued training for relevant authorities and urged UNHCR and IOM to fulfill their commitments to refugee programs and durable solutions.
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