Aspiring Yemeni Model Taken by Rebels Now Faces Prosecution

Entesar Al-Hammadi, an aspiring 20-year-old Yemeni model and actress who was abducted by Houthi rebels on a Sanaa street along with two friends, is now the subject of a criminal investigation, according to an Arab News report.

Her lawyer, Khaled Mohammed Al-Kamal, told the media outlet he has been informed that a prosecutor from the rebel-controlled West Sanaa court will question Al-Hammadi on Sunday. He did not say what the focus of the investigation is, but observers and rights groups believe it relates to violations of traditional Islamic dress codes.

Yemeni officials said Al-Hammadi and two other actresses were travelling to shoot a drama series on February 20 when the rebels stopped their vehicle and took them to an unknown location. This kidnapping is the latest in a string of abductions by Houthi rebels on dissidents and liberal women in areas under the group’s control.

Last year, Al-Hammadi told a local TV station she wished to travel abroad to work as a model, citing parental and societal resistance at home. “It would be great if I was given an opportunity outside Yemen,” she said.