Over 80 prisoner exchange deals were failed by Saudi Arabia: Al-Murtada

On Jan 1, 2022

YemenExtra

The head of the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abdul Qadir Al-Murtada, said that they hoped that the year 2021 would witness a big achievement in the prisoner file, despite all the efforts made and the obstructing created by the Saudi-led aggression.

He pointed out that Saudi Arabia has complete control over the prisoners’ file, stressing that the mercenaries have no decision unless they get approval from the Saudi officers, and many of the exchanges failed this year was because of Saudi Arabia.

“The goal of Saudi Arabia’s intransigence is that it wants to have a deal that includes all its officers and soldiers, and we told them we are ready to do that, but they want to release the Saudis without releasing our prisoners,” Al-Murtada added, adding: “we confirmed that we are ready to release all without selectivity.”

Al-Murtada pointed out that the year 2021 witnessed the liberation of 400 prisoners from the army and the popular committees in 60 local exchange operations, compared to 80 operations that failed under Saudi directives, despite the agreement with those concerned before Saudi Arabia intervened and foiled them.

Regarding the Sudanese prisoners, Al-Murtada indicated that there is no party negotiating for the Sudanese prisoners.

“We have asked the United Nations that there be a Sudanese party concerned with the Sudanese prisoners,” Al-Murtada noted.

Moreover, the head of the committee stressed that the year 2020 witnesses a good role played by the United Nations, for the largest prisoner exchange took place. However, al-Murtada indicated that the United Nation’s role in the year 2021 weakened significantly, saying: “we did not see any achievement by the United Nations in all files and we hope that it will take care of the prisoners’ case”.

Al-Murtada indicated that there were several meetings with the United Nations during the year 2021 to discuss many issues related to prisoners, hoping that there will be a breakthrough in this file.