Yemeni activists have launched a massive social media campaign on Tuesday to release all prisoners and detainees from Yemeni prisons as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the world, affecting more than 200 countries globally.

The three-day campaign aims to pressure all parties to the conflict in Yemen to act urgently and release all detainees as well as to initiate important humanitarian initiatives under the hashtag #SaveYemeniPrisoners. 

The #SaveYemeniPrisoners campaign aims to pressure those in power to release detainees held under dire conditions in Yemeni prisons lacking in essential health and sanitary facilities, which threatens not only detainees’ lives but also those of residents beyond prison walls, Latifa Jamel, the campaign coordinator said. 

Jamel called on all activists and various media outlets to participate actively in this campaign out of responsibility for this urgent humanitarian cause. 

Local and international human rights and humanitarian organizations are participating in the campaign to demand the rescue of prisoners and detainees.  

Despite the UN Secretary-General’s calls for a global ceasefire during the pandemic, fighting has continued between the Houthis and Yemeni government forces since Friday. 

As of Tuesday, Yemen does not have any reported cases of COVID-19.