News - Yemen: Insan Organization for Rights and Liberties has called for the complete lifting of restrictions and the siege on Sana'a International Airport, affirming that it is a humanitarian demand and entitlement for every Yemeni citizen to have the right to travel and move freely without constraints.

"Insan Organization for Rights and Liberties has been monitoring the recent suspension of flights through the sole airline permitted to operate flights to and from Sana'a Airport," the organization stated in a statement issued on Wednesday. “This action, at this time, is considered a negative development coinciding with comprehensive peace talks in Yemen."

It explained that the move has exacerbated the suffering of Yemenis, especially patients in urgent need of travel.

The statement emphasized that the restrictions imposed on Sana'a International Airport over the past years by the coalition constitute a blatant violation of international laws and conventions.

The statement called on the United Nations and the international community to exert pressure to fully lift the restrictions and siege on Sana'a International Airport, considering it a humanitarian demand and entitlement for every Yemeni citizen to have the right to travel and move freely without constraints.

Yemenia Airways has suspended flights to and from Sana'a International Airport under pressure from the US-Saudi aggression, which is viewed as an attempt to disrupt the ongoing Omani-mediated peace process.

Reuters has reported that Yemenia Airways will cease its flights between Sana'a and Jordan, beginning on October 1st.

On 9 August 2016, the Saudi-led coalition imposed restrictions on Yemen’s airspace resulting in the closure of Sana’a Airport to commercial flights, trapping millions of Yemenis in a war zone and preventing the free movement of humanitarian and commercial goods from entering through this route. As a result, thousands of Yemenis with long-term health conditions such as cancer, kidney, liver and blood conditions have died while waiting for treatment unavailable in Yemen.

The closure of the airport has also led to an almost complete halt to commercial cargo such as medicine, medical supplies and equipment coming into the country. Coupled with restrictions on Hodeidah port, this has caused prices of some medicine to double, making it unaffordable for most of the population and further contributing to the decline of Yemen’s health system, already decimated by the aggression.

With the beginning of the truce last year, the aggression tried to evade its commitment to open Sana'a airport and make flights only to one destination, Jordan, and for a very limited number.

Sana'a confirmed more than once that the continued closure of Sana'a airport proves the lack of seriousness of theUS-Saudi aggression to bring peace to Yemen.