Sanaa: Following the funeral of a well-liked critic who was found dead after being detained by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, sporadic protests have broken out against the group.
Hundreds of enraged protesters were seen on social media on Thursday carrying Hamdi Abdul Razaq's body through the streets of Ibb province.
Eyewitnesses, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, claimed that the demonstrations on Thursday took place throughout several neighbourhoods and that protesters could be heard chanting "No Houthis after today."
Also Read: In England and Wales more than two-thirds of Muslims reside in areas with high unemployment rates
Hamdi Abdul Razaq, who protested the Houthi authorities in videos uploaded to YouTube, was allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and killed by the rebel authorities, according to activists. He was known to his followers as "Al-Mukohl" on his profile. Authorities received a report that he had died late last week. His family is silent regarding
Abdul Razaq openly denounced Houthi rule in a series of videos, calling its leadership dishonest and oppressive.
Sanaa and the majority of northern Yemen are under the control of Houthi forces, who have cracked down on dissent there. Some of their opponents have been accused of conspiring with Saudi Arabia, one of the countries fighting the Houthis as part of the coalition.
Also Read: A Muslim man in the Ottawa train station requested not to pray there
The devastating conflict in Yemen started in 2014 when the Houthis took control of Sanaa, the nation's capital, and a large portion of northern Yemen, driving the government into exile. In an effort to put the internationally recognised government back in power, the coalition intervened in 2015.
Following the demonstration on Thursday, the Houthi authorities claimed Abdul Razaq had been detained for disparaging another powerful family in the neighbourhood. He was discovered later that day in a partially completed building after fleeing the police station on Sunday through a bathroom window, according to the report.
Rashed Al-Alimi, the leader of Yemen's internationally recognised government, said in a statement on Thursday that Abdul Razaq's family would receive a monthly stipend in addition to his support for the protesters.
High-ranking Houthi official Mohammed Ali later claimed on Twitter that a committee had been formed to look into the incident in more detail. His passing occurs after several reported instances of similar behaviour. Anger was raised across the divided nation earlier this year when a fruit and vegetable vendor from northern Houthi-held territories was kidnapped and killed.
Also Read: UK athletes run the Palestine Marathon and raise thousands of dollars for charity
According to a lawyer, a Houthi court sentenced four activists on Tuesday to prison terms ranging from six months to three years for their social media criticism of the rebels backed by Iran.