News - Yemen: Yemen's National Committee for Prisoners' Affairs carried out a unilateral humanitarian initiative on Sunday to pardon and release 112 prisoners from the Saudi-backed side, following the directives of the Leader of the Revolution, Sayyed Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The committee explained that the released prisoners were captured on multiple fronts, with many having humanitarian cases.

The head of the National Committee for Prisoners' Affairs, Abdulqader Al-Murtadha, stated that this initiative was based on humanitarian motives and aims to demonstrate their commitment to humane treatment. He emphasized Sana'a readiness to implement all signed agreements without preconditions, according to arrangements agreed upon with the United Nations.

The International Committee of the Red Cross welcomed the release, calling it a positive step towards reviving negotiations under the "Stockholm Agreement." The committee expressed its readiness to act as a neutral mediator to facilitate the release, transfer, and repatriation of prisoners, as it did in 2020 and 2023.

Earlier on April, Al-Murtadha, revealed arrangements for a new round to implement a prisoner exchange deal.
a new round of prisoner exchange negotiations. He mentioned discussions with the deputy of the UN envoy and the upcoming invitation to all parties for new negotiations to implement a new exchange deal.

Al-Murtadha emphasized the humanitarian nature of the issue and the need for all parties to engage positively and credibly to alleviate the suffering of prisoners and their families.

The negotiations for a prisoner exchange deal in Yemen are facing significant hurdles. Despite efforts from the National Committee for Prisoners' Affairs to move forward with the exchange deal, disruptions, particularly by US-Saudi mercenaries, have impeded progress. The recent disruption of planned prison visits in Marib further complicated the situation.

The President of the National Committee for Prisoners' Affairs stressed the importance of resolving this humanitarian issue and expressed Sana'a's readiness to negotiate a comprehensive release of all prisoners, despite ongoing obstructions from Saudi-backed parties.