Yemen's Minister of Human Rights Mohammed Askar said that the new executive order by the Houthi militias, amending the zakat law in Yemen by adding what has become known as the “Khums” tax on all resources, marks the group’s devotion to sectarianism and discrimination.
Askar called for confronting the law in all means possible.
“The so-called law issued by Houthi militias gives them a new opportunity to rob Yemenis and national resources, and it was not ratified by constitutional entities in the country,” Askar told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“When examining the law, it becomes evident that it is exceptionally discriminatory and it sets the stage to divide society into classes and abolish the concept of citizenship among the members of the community,” Askar noted, stressing that the law is not valid because Houthis do not have the authority or legal ground to pass laws in Yemen.
Askar pointed out that the Yemeni people, known for their generosity, have lived throughout their lives interconnected and supportive of each other, and they certainly reject the Houthi ideology that wants to split their ranks and try to control the country.
The minister noted that Houthis forcibly collecting levies from citizens is evidence to the group’s sectarian and discriminatory plan, which has no future in a cohesive Yemen.
Askar revealed that his ministry has written to the Yemeni parliament, UN agencies and international organizations asking them to take a strict stance against the matter, and to label this tax law as discriminatory and a violation to all anti-discriminatory agreements signed on by Yemen.
The Ministry of Human Rights, in a statement, called on parliament and all Yemeni institutions to reject the law and confront it with all available means.
The statement, published by Saba news agency, warned that the law is dangerous and could have disastrous results on the future of Yemen’s human rights and stability.
