In Pictures: Saudi Prisoner released on humanitarian grounds, repatriated by Red Cross
YemenExtra
M.A.
A Red Cross plane has just took off from Sana’a International Airport, transporting the Saudi prisoner who has been suffering from a mild infection on liver; thus, and as a humanitarian tentative by the leader of the revolution, was released without any term.
A source from Sanaa airport confirmed that the plane left the airport nearly an hour ago and was heading towards Saudi Arabia, which was carrying on board the Saudi prisoner who is suffering from a critical condition.
Before his release, The head of the National Committee for the affairs of prisoners Abdul Qader al-Mortada explained that several parties intervened to persuade the Saudi authorities to implement an urgent deal that calls for exchanging the Saudi prisoner, who is diagnosed with a liver disease,with Yemeni militants, but the Saudis did not respond at all.
Al-Mortada said that the kingdom did not care about his life; therefore, the Sayyed al-Houthi ordered his release due to his critical health situation that has been detonating for weeks.
On Twitter, the special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffith praised this good will of the Houthis, hoping to see “more similar humanitarian gestures from the parties,” and to fully swap all prisoners as it was agreed in Sweden’s consultations.
”Due to the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia and lack of medicines, we couldn’t treat the Saudi prisoner,” al-Mortada noted.
The Yemeni warring parties had agreed on a full terms of a prisoner swap during Yemen peace talks in Sweden.Nevertheless, nearly two months had passed since the agreement and no actions have been taken regarding this issue due to allegations made from both parties regarding the names of the prisoners.