Yemen: Full Country Dossier - December 2021 - Open Doors
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Yemen: Full Country Dossier December 2021 Open Doors International / World Watch Research December 2021 © Open Doors International research@od.org
Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3
World Watch List 2022 .............................................................................................................. 3
Copyright note........................................................................................................................... 4
Sources and definitions ............................................................................................................. 4
Effect on data-gathering during COVID-19 pandemic............................................................... 5
External Links - Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5
WWL 2022 Situation in brief / Yemen................................................................................... 5
Brief country details .................................................................................................................. 5
Dominant persecution engines and drivers .............................................................................. 6
Brief description of the persecution situation .......................................................................... 6
Summary of international obligations and rights violations ..................................................... 7
Specific examples of violations of rights in the reporting period ............................................. 7
Specific examples of positive developments ............................................................................ 7
External Links - Situation in brief .............................................................................................. 7
WWL 2022: Keys to understanding / Yemen ......................................................................... 8
Links for general background information ................................................................................ 8
Recent history ........................................................................................................................... 8
Political and legal landscape ................................................................................................... 10
Religious landscape ................................................................................................................. 11
Economic landscape ................................................................................................................ 12
Social and cultural landscape .................................................................................................. 14
Technological landscape ......................................................................................................... 15
Security situation .................................................................................................................... 16
Trends analysis ........................................................................................................................ 17
External Links - Keys to understanding ................................................................................... 17
WWL 2022: Church information / Yemen ........................................................................... 18
Christian origins....................................................................................................................... 18
Church spectrum today ........................................................................................................... 19
External Links - Church information ........................................................................................ 19
WWL 2022: Persecution Dynamics / Yemen........................................................................ 19
Reporting period ..................................................................................................................... 19
Position on the World Watch List ........................................................................................... 19
Persecution engines ................................................................................................................ 20
1
Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Drivers of persecution ............................................................................................................. 22
Areas where Christians face most difficulties ......................................................................... 24
Christian communities and how they are affected ................................................................. 24
The Persecution pattern.......................................................................................................... 25
Pressure in the 5 spheres of life .............................................................................................. 26
5 Year trends ........................................................................................................................... 30
Gender-specific religious persecution / Female ..................................................................... 32
Gender-specific religious persecution / Male ......................................................................... 33
Persecution of other religious minorities................................................................................ 34
Future outlook......................................................................................................................... 35
External Links - Persecution Dynamics .................................................................................... 36
Further useful reports ........................................................................................................ 37
Family in Sana'a, Yemen (c) Open Doors International
2
Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Introduction
World Watch List 2022
Total Total Total Total Total
Private Family Community National Church Score Score Score Score Score
Rank Country Violence
life life life life life WWL WWL WWL WWL WWL
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
1 Afghanistan 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 15.0 98 94 93 94 93
2 North Korea 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 13.1 96 94 94 94 94
3 Somalia 16.5 16.7 16.6 16.6 16.6 8.5 91 92 92 91 91
4 Libya 15.6 15.5 15.9 16.2 16.3 11.5 91 92 90 87 86
5 Yemen 16.7 16.6 16.5 16.7 16.7 5.2 88 87 85 86 85
6 Eritrea 14.6 14.9 15.5 15.9 15.6 11.1 88 88 87 86 86
7 Nigeria 13.8 13.8 14.3 14.5 14.4 16.7 87 85 80 80 77
8 Pakistan 13.6 14.0 15.1 14.9 13.1 16.7 87 88 88 87 86
9 Iran 14.5 14.6 13.6 15.8 16.5 10.4 85 86 85 85 85
10 India 12.7 12.7 12.9 14.7 13.3 15.6 82 83 83 83 81
11 Saudi Arabia 15.1 15.1 15.0 15.9 16.7 3.1 81 78 79 77 79
12 Myanmar 12.4 11.5 13.8 13.4 13.1 14.8 79 74 73 71 65
13 Sudan 13.4 13.4 14.3 13.6 15.7 8.5 79 79 85 87 87
14 Iraq 14.0 14.6 14.0 14.8 13.9 6.9 78 82 76 79 86
15 Syria 12.9 13.8 13.5 14.3 13.9 9.3 78 81 82 82 76
16 Maldives 15.4 15.3 13.7 15.8 16.5 0.4 77 77 78 78 78
17 China 12.6 9.8 12.2 14.4 15.5 11.1 76 74 70 65 57
18 Qatar 14.2 14.1 11.1 13.0 14.3 7.2 74 67 66 62 63
19 Vietnam 11.3 9.7 12.7 14.1 14.5 8.7 71 72 72 70 69
20 Egypt 12.7 13.2 11.5 12.7 10.8 10.0 71 75 76 76 70
21 Uzbekistan 14.9 12.7 14.1 11.8 15.6 1.7 71 71 73 74 73
22 Algeria 14.0 14.0 11.1 13.4 14.1 4.1 71 70 73 70 58
23 Mauritania 14.3 13.9 13.1 14.0 14.1 0.9 70 71 68 67 57
24 Mali 9.4 8.2 13.9 10.3 12.8 15.0 70 67 66 68 59
25 Turkmenistan 14.5 11.3 13.6 13.3 15.7 0.6 69 70 70 69 68
26 Laos 12.0 10.3 13.2 13.3 14.1 5.9 69 71 72 71 67
27 Morocco 13.1 13.8 10.8 12.8 14.2 3.9 69 67 66 63 51
28 Indonesia 11.3 11.5 11.5 11.0 9.6 13.5 68 63 60 65 59
29 Bangladesh 11.8 10.7 12.9 11.3 10.2 11.3 68 67 63 58 58
30 Colombia 11.5 8.8 13.1 11.0 9.9 13.3 68 67 62 58 56
31 CAR 9.0 8.6 13.6 9.6 11.4 15.6 68 66 68 70 61
32 Burkina Faso 9.4 9.7 12.0 9.6 12.1 14.8 68 67 66 48 -
33 Niger 9.4 9.5 13.9 7.2 12.8 14.8 68 62 60 52 45
34 Bhutan 13.4 12.4 11.7 13.7 13.8 1.7 67 64 61 64 62
35 Tunisia 11.9 12.7 10.6 11.3 13.4 6.5 66 67 64 63 62
36 Oman 13.8 14.0 10.3 13.2 13.4 1.5 66 63 62 59 57
37 Cuba 12.3 8.1 12.6 13.2 14.0 5.9 66 62 52 49 49
38 Ethiopia 9.9 10.3 13.1 10.3 12.3 9.8 66 65 63 65 62
39 Jordan 12.9 14.0 11.0 12.3 12.5 3.0 66 64 64 65 66
40 DRC 8.0 7.9 12.6 9.7 12.0 15.6 66 64 56 55 33
41 Mozambique 9.3 8.5 11.3 7.9 12.5 15.6 65 63 43 43 -
42 Turkey 12.6 11.5 11.4 13.2 11.6 4.6 65 69 63 66 62
43 Mexico 10.3 8.3 12.5 10.8 10.3 12.6 65 64 60 61 59
44 Cameroon 8.8 7.6 12.6 7.2 13.1 15.4 65 64 60 54 38
45 Tajikistan 13.8 12.3 12.0 12.6 13.2 0.7 65 66 65 65 65
46 Brunei 14.8 14.5 10.3 11.0 13.2 0.6 64 64 63 63 64
47 Kazakhstan 13.4 11.6 11.1 12.6 13.5 1.7 64 64 64 63 63
48 Nepal 12.4 9.8 9.9 13.6 12.7 5.2 64 66 64 64 64
49 Kuwait 13.5 13.7 9.8 12.3 13.1 1.1 64 63 62 60 61
50 Malaysia 12.5 14.3 11.5 11.6 10.2 3.3 63 63 62 60 65
-
3
Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Total Total Total Total Total
Private Family Community National Church Score Score Score Score Score
Rank Country Violence
life life life life life WWL WWL WWL WWL WWL
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
51 Kenya 11.7 9.2 11.4 8.0 11.5 11.1 63 62 61 61 62
52 Sri Lanka 12.9 9.9 11.4 11.3 9.4 7.8 63 62 65 58 57
53 Comoros 12.7 11.1 11.2 12.4 14.2 0.9 63 62 57 56 56
54 UAE 13.4 13.6 10.1 11.8 12.2 1.3 62 62 60 58 58
55 Tanzania 9.3 10.8 10.3 8.6 8.7 13.7 61 58 55 52 53
56 Azerbaijan 13.1 9.9 9.3 11.0 13.4 3.3 60 56 57 57 57
Palestinian
57 13.0 13.4 9.8 10.2 12.0 0.9 59 58 60 57 60
Territories
58 Djibouti 12.3 12.3 11.1 10.0 12.2 0.7 59 56 56 56 56
59 Kyrgyzstan 12.9 10.1 11.1 10.4 12.0 1.5 58 58 57 56 54
60 Bahrain 12.5 13.2 9.1 11.1 10.2 0.9 57 56 55 55 57
61 Nicaragua 9.1 5.6 11.1 11.8 11.3 7.6 56 51 41 41 -
Russian
62 12.3 8.0 10.2 10.6 12.3 2.2 56 57 60 60 51
Federation
63 Chad 11.5 8.2 10.2 9.6 10.3 5.6 55 53 56 48 40
64 Burundi 7.6 7.8 9.7 9.2 9.6 8.1 52 48 48 43 -
65 Venezuela 5.6 4.5 11.2 9.4 11.1 9.6 51 39 42 41 34
66 Angola 6.8 6.7 8.1 10.1 11.4 7.8 51 46 43 42 -
67 Rwanda 8.1 5.5 6.7 10.3 10.1 9.3 50 42 42 41 -
68 Honduras 7.2 5.1 10.5 7.7 9.2 8.7 48 46 39 38
69 Uganda 8.1 4.6 7.4 6.7 9.1 11.7 48 47 48 47 46
70 El Salvador 7.7 4.6 10.7 5.7 9.1 7.2 45 42 38 30
71 Togo 9.2 6.7 9.3 7.1 9.8 2.4 44 43 41 42 -
72 Gambia 8.3 8.2 8.7 8.3 8.8 1.7 44 43 43 43 -
73 Guinea 10.3 7.5 8.3 7.0 8.1 2.0 43 47 45 46 -
74 South Sudan 5.7 0.9 7.0 6.3 7.8 15.0 43 43 44 44 -
75 Ivory Coast 9.8 8.6 8.2 5.5 7.9 2.0 42 42 42 43 -
76 Israel 9.8 8.4 5.6 6.6 6.6 4.3 41 40 38 39 40
Copyright note
This document is the property of World Watch Research (WWR), the research department of
Open Doors International. It may be used and distributed free of charge, but please always
acknowledge the source as: © 2021 Open Doors International.
Sources and definitions
• This country report is a collation of data and analysis based around Open Doors World
Watch List (WWL) and includes statistical information on world religions, Christian
denominations and people groups prepared by the World Christian Database (WCD).
• Highlighted links in the text can be found written out in full at the conclusion of each main
section under the heading “External links”. In order to reduce the length of these reference
sections, a table containing links to regularly used sources can be found at the beginning of
the “Keys to Understanding” chapter under the heading “Links for general background
information”. Where one of these sources has been quoted in the dossier text, a quote
reference is supplied as indicated in the second column of the table.
• The WWL 2022 reporting period was 01 October 2020 - 30 September 2021.
• The definition of persecution used in WWL analysis is: “Any hostility experienced as a result
of one’s identification with Christ. This can include hostile attitudes, words and actions
towards Christians”. This broad definition includes (but is not limited to) restrictions,
pressure, discrimination, opposition, disinformation, injustice, intimidation, mistreatment,
marginalization, oppression, intolerance, infringement, violation, ostracism, hostilities,
harassment, abuse, violence, ethnic cleansing and genocide.
• The latest update of WWL Methodology including appendices can be found on the World
Watch List Documentation page of the Open Doors Analytical website (password: freedom).
4
Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Effect on data-gathering during COVID-19 pandemic
In the WWL 2022 reporting period, travel restrictions and other measures introduced by the
governments of various countries to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic did cause
delays and create the need for restructuring grass-roots research in some cases. Through the
agile cooperation of In-country networks, Open Doors country researchers, External experts,
WWR analysts and an increased use of technological options, Open Doors is confident that – as
in the previous reporting period – WWL 2022 scoring, analysis and documentation has
maintained required levels of quality and reliability.
External Links - Introduction
• Sources and definitions: World Watch List Documentation - https://opendoorsanalytical.org/world-watch-list-
documentation/
WWL 2022 Situation in brief / Yemen
Brief country details
In the table below, the number of Christians shown is an Open Doors (OD) estimate.
Yemen: Population (UN estimate for 2021) Christians Chr%
30,911,000 a few thousand OD estimate
Map of country
5Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Yemen: World Watch List Points WWL Rank
WWL 2022 88 5
WWL 2021 87 7
WWL 2020 85 8
WWL 2019 86 8
WWL 2018 85 9
Ranks are shown above whenever the country scored 41 points or more in the WWL 2018-2022 reporting periods
Dominant persecution engines and drivers
Yemen: Main Persecution engines Main drivers
Non-Christian religious leaders, Violent religious groups,
One's own (extended) family, Revolutionaries or
Islamic oppression paramilitary groups, Citizens (people from the broader
society), including mobs, Government officials, Ethnic
group leaders
Ethnic group leaders, Non-Christian religious leaders,
Clan oppression One's own (extended) family, Citizens (people from the
broader society), including mobs
Violent religious groups, Revolutionaries or paramilitary
Dictatorial paranoia
groups, Government officials
Organized corruption and crime Government officials
Engines and Drivers are listed in order of strength. Only Very strong / Strong / Medium are shown here.
Brief description of the persecution situation
The Church in Yemen is composed mostly of Yemeni Christians with a Muslim background and
their children who need to live their faith in secret. They face violations of religious freedom
from their family and the authorities (both from the official authorities and from Houthi rebels
acting as local authorities in certain areas). Action against known converts includes more than
just detention and interrogation; radical Islamic groups threaten apostates with death if they do
not re-convert. By birth, one belongs to a tribe and its internal norms. The tribal punishment for
denouncing Islam can be death or banishment. Both male and female converts to Christianity
married to Muslims risk divorce including losing custody of their children. Christians are suffering
from the general humanitarian crisis in the country, but Yemeni Christians are additionally
vulnerable since emergency relief is mostly distributed through local Muslims and local
mosques, which are allegedly discriminating against all who are not considered to be devout
Muslims.
6Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Summary of international obligations and rights violations
Yemen has committed to respect and protect fundamental rights in the following international
treaties:
1. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
2. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
3. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
5. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Yemen is not fulfilling its international obligations by regularly violating or failing to protect the
following rights of Christians:
• Christians converts are pressured by the state and society to recant their conversion (ICCPR Art. 18)
• Christians suffer from biased distribution of emergency relief because of their faith (ICCPR Art. 26)
• Christian converts, male and female, face divorce and lose custody of their children because of their
conversion (ICCPR Art. 23 and CEDAW Art. 16)
• Distribution of non-Islamic religious material is forbidden by law (ICCPR Arts. 18 and 19)
• Female Christian converts are forced to house imprisonment and held as a hostage because of their
faith (ICCPR Arts. 9 and 12 and CEDAW Art. 15)
Specific examples of violations of rights in the reporting period
• Various Christians were (or continued to be) detained for faith-related reasons during the
WWL 2022 reporting period. According to sources, both religious and non-religious factors
are often involved in these cases.
• Dozens of Christians were mentally or physically abused as a result of their faith and the
war situation, the threat mostly coming from families and communities.
• Several Christians had to leave their homes and relocate in or outside of the country due to
fear of assassination because of their faith or for war-related reasons.
• Dozens of Christians faced sexual harassment, abduction, rape or forced marriage.
Specific examples of positive developments
While there had for some time been anecdotal reports of indigenous Christian communities
growing slowly, this progress seems uncertain in the WWL 2022 reporting period. Unfortunately,
there are few positive developments to observe and it is hard to believe that the situation could
become any worse for the Yemeni population in general and for Christians (and other minority
groups) in particular. Before the war, the total Christian community numbered around 40,000
and was mainly composed of expatriate/migrant workers.
External Links - Situation in brief
• Summary of international obligations and rights violations: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights -
https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx
• Summary of international obligations and rights violations: International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights - https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cescr.aspx
• Summary of international obligations and rights violations: Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment -
https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cat.aspx
7Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
• Summary of international obligations and rights violations: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women - https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CEDAW.aspx
• Summary of international obligations and rights violations: Convention on the Rights of the Child -
https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx
WWL 2022: Keys to understanding / Yemen
Links for general background information
Last
Name Quote Reference Link
accessed on
https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-
Amnesty International country report AI 2021 5 July 2021
africa/yemen/
BBC News country profile BBC country profile https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14704852 5 July 2021
Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2020 BTI 2020 https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-dashboard-YEM.html 5 July 2021
CIA World Factbook CIA Factbook https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/yemen/ 5 July 2021
Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy https://pages.eiu.com/rs/753-RIQ-438/images/democracy-index-
EIU 2020 5 July 2021
Index 2020 2020.pdf
FFP’s Fragile States Index 2021 FSI 2021 https://fragilestatesindex.org/country-data/ 5 July 2021
Freedom House/Democracy
Freedom House’s 2021 Democracy index https://freedomhouse.org/countries/nations-transit/scores
2021
Freedom House’s 2021 Global Freedom Freedom House/Global
https://freedomhouse.org/country/yemen/freedom-world/2021 5 July 2021
index Freedom 2021
Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net Freedom House/Internet
https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-net/scores
2020 report Freedom 2020
Garda World country report Garda World https://www.garda.com/crisis24/country-reports/yemen 5 July 2021
Human Rights Watch World Report 2021 HRW 2021 https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/yemen 5 July 2021
Internet World Stats 2021 IWS 2021 https://www.internetworldstats.com/middle.htm#ye 5 July 2021
Middle East Concern country profile MEC Yemen https://www.meconcern.org/countries/yemen/ 5 July 2021
RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index World Press Freedom 2021 https://rsf.org/en/yemen 5 July 2021
Transparency International’s 2020
CPI 2020 https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/yemen 5 July 2021
Corruption Perceptions Index
http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/hdr_theme/country-
UNDP Human Development Report 2020 HDR 2020 5 July 2021
notes/YEM.pdf
UNDP’s Global Human Development
HDI http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/YEM 5 July 2021
Indicators
US State Department’s 2020 International https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-
IRFR 2020 5 July 2021
Religious Freedom country reports freedom/yemen/
USCIRF 2021 country reports USCIRF 2021 https://www.uscirf.gov/countries 5 July 2021
World Bank country report World Bank https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/yemen 5 July 2021
Recent history
In 1990 clan-based North Yemen and Communist South Yemen merged after years of armed
conflict. In the North, tribal violence has persisted and the prominent Houthi clan is fighting for
the restoration of Shia rule and for action against government corruption. Since the ousting of
former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012, Yemen has seen political turmoil and sporadic
violence. In the power vacuum, militants and rebels - including groups affiliated with al-Qaeda
and the Islamic State group (IS) - are fighting to gain control of territory.
In September 2014, protests by Houthis degenerated into fighting against rival forces such as
'Islah', Yemen’s main Sunni radical Islamic party. In March 2015, after taking over Yemen’s
capital airport in Sana'a, crucial government ministries and northern areas of the country, the
Shiite Houthis forced President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and his government into exile in
Saudi Arabia. In July 2015, forces loyal to the government and southern militias regained control
of Aden, backed by the troops and airpower of the Sunni Saudi-led coalition, which started in
March 2015. Saudi Arabia started this military operation against the Houthis, partly in an
attempt to counter Iran’s influence in its 'backyard'. In September 2015 President Hadi returned
to Aden. Throughout 2016, fighting on the ground continued between Houthi-aligned forces and
groups backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
8Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
"In 2016, the UN brokered a months-long cessation of hostilities that reduced airstrikes and
fighting, and initiated peace talks in Kuwait. However, the talks ended without agreement. The
Houthis and Saleh’s political party announced a Supreme Political Council in August 2016 and,
in November 2016, a National Salvation Government (including a prime minister and several
dozen cabinet members, in November 2016, to govern in Sanaa and further challenge the
legitimacy of Hadi’s government. However, amid rising tensions between the Houthis and Saleh,
sporadic clashes erupted in mid-2017, and escalated into open fighting that ended when Houthi
forces killed Saleh in early December 2017. In 2018, anti-Houthi forces made the most battlefield
progress in Yemen since early 2016, most notably in Al-Hudaydah Governorate. In December
2018, the Houthis and Yemeni Government participated in the first UN-brokered peace talks
since 2016. In April 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened in Seiyoun for the first time since the
conflict broke out in 2014 and elected a speaker and vice speakers." (Source: CIA Factbook)
"On 14 September [2019], the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on Saudi oil facilities
that temporarily cut off nearly 50 per cent of the country’s oil production capacity. Riyadh,
Washington and several European governments accused Iran of the attack, and the Houthis’
claim has tied the group more closely to Tehran in the eyes of its opponents." (International
Crisis Group, 16 October 2019)
In August 2019, southern separatist forces (Southern Transitional Council, STC) aligned with the
United Arab Emirates took over the UN-recognized government's temporary capital of Aden,
risking infighting with the Saudi-aligned coalition. However in a hopeful move, separatists and
the government signed a power-sharing agreement in Riyadh in November 2019 to end the
conflict in southern Yemen. Nevertheless, peace is still far off. The South is currently
experiencing a regional civil war within the countrywide civil war. The southern separatist forces
are fighting the troops of the Hadi-government and even declared independence in May 2020.
While most of the southern gouvernorates did not follow the STC's call, the majority (even those
that are technically still aligned with the Hadi-government) are not under the control of the
government anymore. Attempts to unify the South under the 'Riyadh Agreement' in November
2019 were unsuccessful. The agreement was intended to unify the South before starting
negotiations in earnest with the Houthis to find an overall peace-process for the whole country.
At the same time, the Houthis have made significant territorial advances in numerous
gouvernorates. There have been heavy battles, including massive air strikes from the Saudi air
force. This situation did not change much in 2021: The Houthis continued attacks in the North,
ceasefire talks stalled and tensions between the government and the southern separatists
persisted and sometimes escalated in the South, regardless of the formation of a unity
government in December 2020 made up of Hadi loyalists, members of the STC and the Islamist
Islah party. However, the unity government does not exercise effective control over much of the
country. Since mid-September 2021, there have been many public demonstrations in the south,
often leading to street violence. This civil unrest is mainly driven by the deterioration of living
conditions due to rising prices, which have made basic necessities such as food virtually
unaffordable for many.
9Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
On top of these developments, the COVID-19 virus spread throughout the country. In addition,
Yemen has been plagued by locusts, cholera and flooding. Due to lack of funds, international
NGOs have not been able to supply the country with the humanitarian assistance needed. There
is no common policy concerning anti-COVID measures and restrictions, little communication
between the South and North, and sometimes there are even diverging policies within the same
city (Aden). At the same time, access issues in the North have led to a cut-back in the distribution
of humanitarian aid there. The Houthi government at first denied the existence of COVID-19 and
later downplayed its impact but blamed Westerners (Christians) or other foreigners for
importing a disease alien to Yemen. This blame game and the general situation have added to
an already dangerously polarized and hostile environment for Christians.
Political and legal landscape
Yemen is an Islamic republic and Sharia (Islamic law) is the principal source of law. The
government has one legislative chamber, which is - in theory - elected every six years. The last
parliamentary elections were in 2003 and a presidential election was held in 2012 in which the
outgoing president was the only candidate. Due to the civil war, fresh elections are not expected
to be held in the short-term. The Economist Intelligence Unit classifies the Yemeni government
as 'authoritarian' (EIU 2020).
According to the US State Department (IRFR 2020): "The government did not exercise effective
control over much of the country's territory and had limited opportunities to address abuses of
religious freedom. The government publicly condemned the religious persecution by the Houthi
movement."
Advocacy organization Middle East Concern reported (MEC Yemen): "The rule of law is weak in
Yemen, with some variations in practice according to tribal traditions and differing
interpretations of Islamic law. Yemen’s constitution of 1994 establishes Islam as the state
religion and Islamic law as the sole source of all legislation. The constitution upholds the
principle of non-discrimination, protects freedom of thought and expression of opinion, and
establishes the inviolability of places of worship, all within the limits of the law. Blasphemy,
defamation of religions and non-Islamic proselytising are prohibited. Apostasy is a criminal
offence, punishable by death for apostates who refuse to recant. Islamic personal status laws
apply, including a prohibition on marriage between a Muslim and an apostate and between a
Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man."
Some Yemeni Christians have been accused of blasphemy and arrested. Also in the WWL 2022
reporting period, Christians were detained for both religious and non-religious reasons. In this
time frame, the power of the Houthis has expanded further in their quest to restore rule
according to the Shiite Zaydi Imamate - which existed in the country until 1962. With the growing
Houthi influence, the situation for the Christians has deteriorated further. The few migrant
Christians who are left are legally free to conduct non-Islamic worship in private, but due to the
civil war this has not happened for years. MEC continues: "[T]here is no formal registration
process for non-Islamic religious groups and the government has not authorized construction of
non-Islamic places of worship for many years." Due to the civil war, most expatriates, including
Christians, have left Yemen.
10Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
The legal landscaping facing women and girls is additionally restrictive. There is an almost non-
existent female representation in parliament, with just 0.3% of parliamentary positions being
filled by women in 2019 (Index Mundi, accessed 24 November 2020). Yemen acceded to the
CEDAW Convention in 1984 and unlike other countries following Sharia law, made no
reservations to any articles concerning gender equality. However, the CEDAW committee has
consistently challenged Yemen’s lack of compliance with its provisions, particularly in relation
to marriage (CEDAW, 2018). While Article 23 of the 1992 Personal Status code indicates that a
bride must give consent to marry, she is not allowed to sign her own wedding contract. Silence
is deemed sufficient consent, making women and girls vulnerable to forced marriages. Yemen’s
Personal Status Code also fails to specify a minimum age of marriage; An estimated 32% of girls
are married before the age of 18 (Girls Not Brides/Yemen, 2021). Neither marital rape nor
domestic violence are specifically criminalized in Yemeni law (OECD, 2019).
Religious landscape
Yemen: Religious context Number of adherents %
Christians a few thousand -
According to OD-estimate
The Open Doors estimate for the number of Christians in Yemen is "a few thousand". The
number of Christians was much higher (approximately 40,000) when there was still a significant
Christian expatriate community. After most of them left the country as a result of the war,
tolerance of non-Muslims has continued to decline. According to WCD statistics, over 99% of the
population are Muslim. There is also a significant Hindu minority of over 200,000 adherents,
most of them immigrants from India and Nepal. At present Christians are a tiny minority, most
of whom are from a Muslim background. Proselytism of Muslims and conversion are both
officially considered illegal; if a convert is discovered, he/she will be forced by the local Islamic
community to report their conversion to the authorities. This naturally deters converts to
Christianity from making their religion known in public in any way.
Muslim citizens have more rights than the followers of other religions. The country abides by
the strictest interpretations of Islam. Leaving Islam to convert to another religion is forbidden
both by Islamic and state law. Converts may face the death penalty (though generally not
implemented by the government but rather by radical Muslims, with the government turning a
blind eye) if their new faith is discovered. Though focusing most of their attention on political
events, government officials continue to intimidate Christians even amid the chaotic war
situation. Oppression has mostly been felt coming from Islamic militants who have considerable
freedom to operate.
MEC states (MEC Yemen): "The ongoing conflict, political instability and humanitarian crisis
profoundly affects all in Yemen. Additional pressures faced by Christians come principally from
non-state actors, given the weak application of the rule of law in many parts of the country.
Those who choose to leave Islam are likely to face strong family and societal pressure, which in
extreme cases can include violent responses from family members. While apostates face the
possible death penalty under the Criminal Code, there have been no known examples of judicial
executions for apostasy in recent years. However, there are occasional verified reports of extra-
11Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
judicial murders for apostasy by community or extremist groups. The threat from violent Islamic
militants is significant in parts of Yemen where groups such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular
(AQAP) and the Islamic State group are strong, especially for nationals who have left Islam." This
applies even more to Houthi militants, as one country expert explained: "Their version of Islam
has even more impact on Christians than the aforementioned groups".
Economic landscape
According to the UNDP Human Development Report (HDR 2020, p.343 onwards):
• "Yemen’s HDI value for 2019 is 0.470— which put the country in the low human
development category— positioning it at 179 out of 189 countries and territories. Between
1990 and 2019, Yemen’s HDI value increased from 0.401 to 0.470, an increase of 17.2
percent. ... Between 1990 and 2019, Yemen’s life expectancy at birth increased by 8.8 years,
mean years of schooling increased by 2.9 years and expected years of schooling increased
by 1.2 years. Yemen’s GNI per capita decreased by about 46.1 percent between 1990 and
2019."
According to UNDP's 2019 report:
• "Before the escalation of conflict in Yemen in 2015, the country ranked 153 [out of 189] in
human development, 138 in extreme poverty, 147 in life expectancy and 172 in education
attainment. The conflict has reversed the pace of development—with nearly a quarter of a
million people killed directly by fighting and indirectly through lack of food, infrastructure
and health services. Some 60 percent of those killed are children under age 5. The long-
term impacts make it among the most destructive conflicts since the end of the Cold War
... and have already set back human development in the country by 21 years."
According to World Bank (country overview):
• Poverty: "Poverty is worsening: whereas before the crisis it affected almost half Yemen’s
total population of about 29 million, now it affects an estimated three-quarters of it—71%
to 78% of Yemenis. Women are more severely affected than men."(World Bank, Yemen
Overview) The percentage of population living below income poverty line, national poverty
line is 48.6 (HDI 2020).
• Life expectancy at birth: 66.1
• Gross national income (GNI) per capita: $1,594
According to World Bank's April 2021 update:
• The Yemini economy is listed in the category 'low income';
• "An unprecedented protracted humanitarian crisis, aggravated by COVID-19, leaves many
Yemenis mostly dependent on relief and remittances. Socio-economic conditions are
deteriorating rapidly, driven by a currency depreciation, trade disruptions, rising food
prices, severe fuel supply shortages, disruption and downsizing of humanitarian operations.
Intensifying violence and fragmentation of macroeconomic policies add further strains on
the fragile economic conditions, and the population is at risk of famine in 2021.
12Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
• The economy contracted sharply from an already low base. The oil sector — the only large
export earner — was hard-hit by low global oil prices. Non-oil economic activity suffered
significantly from COVID-19-related trade slowdown and exceptionally heavy rainfalls,
which caused intense flooding, damage and loss of life. Foreign exchange shortages
deepened further with the near depletion of Saudi Arabia’s basic import finance facility,
reduced oil revenues, and downsizing of humanitarian assistance.
Inflation has accelerated quickly in 2020. The weakening of the rial played a major role; other
factors such as COVID-19 related disruptions, insecurity, trade restrictions and associated fuel
shortages have also influenced price dynamics. The national average cost of the
Minimum/Survivable Food Basket increased by 4% in December 2020 (m-o-m) and by 30%
(yoy)."
According to the UN World Food Programme (last accessed 24 June 2021):
• "Even before fighting broke out in early 2015, Yemen was one of the poorest countries in
the Arab world. ... Over five years of conflict have left thousands of civilians dead and 3.65
million internally displaced. Its impact on the country’s infrastructure has been devastating,
with major overland routes and airports severely damaged. Despite ongoing humanitarian
assistance, 16.2 million Yemenis are food insecure. The coordinated response of the
humanitarian community has prevented catastrophe in Yemen. But if these interventions
stop or are severely hampered, the situation is likely to deteriorate quickly. Malnutrition
rates among women and children in Yemen remain among the highest in the world, with
1.2 million women and 2.3 million children requiring treatment for acute malnutrition. Of
these children, 400.000 are at risk of dying without treatment. ... The COVID-19 pandemic
now poses a new threat to the people of Yemen. The economic impact of COVID-19 on
countries like Yemen – struggling with poverty and devastated by conflict – may be more
devastating than the disease itself. In numbers: 20.7 million people in need of humanitarian
assistance; 4 million people internally displaced; 16.2 million people are food insecure (IPC
3+)."
The ongoing heavy depreciation of the Rial will lead to further deterioration of the financial
situation for all Yemenis, including Christians. The country is heavily import dependent with
more than 90% of its goods coming from abroad.
Women are typically the most economically vulnerable in Yemen due to low education and
employment rates, and poor financial inclusion (Georgetown, 2019/20, p.34; HDI 2020). Making
it additionally challenging for women to gain economic independence, Yemeni women do not
have equal inheritance rights to men; under Islamic law, daughters receive half the share that
sons receive. Considering these economic vulnerabilities, Christian women depend heavily on
their husbands and families. Should this support be lost, they will likely fall into destitution.
Beyond this formal inequality, women have been reportedly denied their due
inheritance. Widows are sometimes forcibly married to another male within the family of the
deceased, in order to ensure that property and wealth is kept within the family (OECD, 2019).
13Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
Social and cultural landscape
According to the UNDP Human Development Report (HDR 2020, p.343 onwards) and CIA
Factbook:
• Main ethnic groups: predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asian, European
• Main languages: Arabic (official); a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra
Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen
• Urban population: 38.5% of total population (2021)
• Literacy rate: 70.1% for the total population. For women the literacy rate is 55%, for men
85.1% (2015, more recent data is not available).
According to HDI 2020:
• Median age: 20.2 years
• Education: The expected years of schooling were 8.8 for 2019 (more recent data is not
available). 7.4 for girls, compared to 10.2 for boys. (Whilst the gender gap in education rates
has been closely narrowing, a 2019 UNDP report indicates that the conflict has set
back progress, causing a 20% increase in children not enrolled in school since violence
escalated in 2015 (UNDP, “Assessing the Impact of War on Development in Yemen”, 2019).
• Unemployment rate: 12.9% (24% for youth)
• Youth not in school or employment (% ages 15-24): 44.8
• IDPs/Refugees: 4 million Yemenis have been forced to flee their homes because of the
crisis – 79% of them are women and children (UNHCR, last accessed 24 June 2021)
• Gender inequality: With a score of 0.795, Yemen ranks highest on the Gender Inequality
Index of 162 listed countries.
• Child marriage: 32% of women aged 20–24 who were first married or in union by age 18
• Child malnutrition, stunting (moderate or severe) (% under age 5): 46.4%
In 2021, Yemen topped the FFP Fragile States Index for the third time in a row because of its
continuing civil war and humanitarian disaster. The COVID-19 outbreak contributed to the
massive disruption of Yemen's healthcare system and has further complicated getting
humanitarian aid into the country. Tribal chaos continues and expansion of the conflict remains
high, but the situation for Christians is already extremely difficult. Society in Yemen is
conservative, Muslim and tribal. Tribal society remains very strong, and (also before the civil
war) the central government has always been a secondary institution to the traditional ways of
tribal governance. The government has also never been likely to intervene in intertribal conflicts,
even if tribes were physically harming or imprisoning rival members. Tribal law and custom
prohibit members of the tribe from leaving the tribe, which is a very rare occasion. The
punishment for this would often be death or banishment.
The COVID-19 crisis adds another layer of disaster in a country that has seen more than 50% of
its health institutions being left unusable due to the conflict. From mid-April 2020, the World
Food Program began to withdraw over half of its staff due to Houthi obstruction, COVID-19 and
the lack of personal protection equipment. The resulting reduction in humanitarian aid seems
likely to have had a significant impact. The overall result will likely be catastrophic with a higher
number of casualties from the war, COVID-19 and the side-effect of a further deteriorating econ-
14Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
omy. This was confirmed by UN spokesperson Secretary-General António Guterres' warning on
20 November 2020 that "Yemen is now in imminent danger of the worst famine the world has
seen for decades. In the absence of immediate action, millions of lives may be lost" (United
Nations Press Release, 20 November 2020).
Christians in the country attest that the increase in anarchy, the humanitarian crisis caused by
war, natural disasters and diseases like cholera and COVID-19 all contribute to the challenge
they experience to care for each other and contribute to society. The fact that Westerners
(Christians) or other foreigners were blamed for importing the COVID-19 virus has added to an
already dangerously polarized and hostile environment for Christians.In addition, there were
several smear campaigns through news agencies, social media and radio, to 'warn' the
population against Christians in the country. Also, Christian organizations that provide
humanitarian aid were accused of doing so in order to lure people to their faith.
Yemen is a deeply patriarchal country and has long been viewed as one of the worst countries
to live in as a woman (Amnesty International, 16 December 2019). Marrying girls off early has
become a financial coping strategy for families affected by poverty and the conflict (UNFPA,
2018, p.15). In addition to the escalating conflict, economic collapse and natural disasters, the
crisis surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has placed further challenges on Yemeni society,
particularly women. Domestic violence levels have increased and women have been forced to
take on additional care responsibilities (SaferWorld, 27 October 2020). Also, increasing poverty
as well as educational interruptions have led to increased levels of illiteracy.
Technological landscape
According to Internet World Stats (IWS 2021):
• Internet usage: 25.9% penetration - survey date: March 2021
• Facebook usage: 11% penetration – survey date: March 2021
According to 2019 stats by Napoleon Cat, 86.1% of Facebook users were male.
According to the World Bank (Country profile 2018):
• Mobile phone subscriptions: 53.7 per 100 people
In the past, the government controlled most local television and radio except for some privately
owned radio stations. The Freedom in the World report states that since the start of the war in
March 2015, "the belligerents have either taken over or enforced self-censorship at any
surviving media outlets in the country. Houthi-backed authorities reportedly block certain news
websites, online messaging and social media platforms, and satellite broadcasts. The Houthis,
the Saudi-led coalition, and Hadi government forces have also harassed and detained reporters"
(Freedom House/Global Freedom 2021).
The technological landscape in Yemen is affected by the civil war and is currently disrupted. As
the CIA World Factbook puts it: "[M]obile towers are often deliberately targeted; maintenance
is dangerous to staff; aid organizations rely on satellite and radio communications" and
telecommunications equipment in rural areas are scarce. Furthermore, there is a fuel crisis,
which means that generators are no longer a good alternative for supplying the electricity re-
15Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
quired to run the Internet.
Not all factions in the civil war have the capabilities to monitor Internet traffic. The Houthis, in
particular, have a sophisticated system of surveillance, actively seek out Christians and exert
direct control over accessing the Internet. However, it is unclear how closely the Houthis
monitor specific Internet activities and people have been continuing to risk accessing Christian
websites online.
The gender gap in mobile Internet usage in the South Asia region averages at 23% (GSMA, 2020,
“The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2020”, p.9). This gap shows how restricted women’s access is
to both information and community networks. Georgetown research (2019) indicates that
Yemen is one of the worst performing countries in the region, with just 48% of women in Yemen
using a mobile phone. Because families monitor carefully the activities of female members, their
telephones come under greater scrutiny, making it more difficult for women to become
Christians, or become active in local churches.
Security situation
The ongoing civil war in Yemen is the result of several internal and national power struggles,
aggravated by a regional proxy conflict between Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates
(UAE). Yemen is currently the theater of at least four intertwined political crises, involving a
constellation of political actors and armed groups seeking political power, recognition and
influence (Source: The Project on Middle East Political Science, January 2018). The Shiite-Sunni
divide also plays a role in this conflict as the Saudi-led coalition and Hadi government are
majority Sunni, whereas Iran as well as the Houthi rebels are mostly Shiite.
Assisted by the chaos of civil war, Islamic militant groups have become more influential.
Particularly the influence of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has grown further as it
expands its territorial control in southern Yemen. Groups affiliated with the Islamic State group
(IS) are also present in the war-torn country and have been attacking both Shiite and
government-related targets since March 2015. The insecurity caused by radical Islamic
movements makes Yemen very unstable; all citizens, particularly Christians, are suffering from
the lawlessness and are believed to be under surveillance by radical Muslims. They can also
become a specific target for militant attack. Buildings where Christians (or expatriates from
Christian countries) were operating have been targeted in the course of the fighting. For
instance, in March 2016, a Catholic care-home for the elderly and disabled was directly targeted
by assailants connected to IS. More recently, in the WWL 2022 reporting period, there are
reports that violent Islamist groups (both al-Qaeda and Houthis) have been infiltrating house-
churches in order to track down and persecute converts.
Wherever the Saudi-led coalition forces have dominated or freed areas, Christians were often
targeted by radical Sunni groups. There is a gendered component to this backdrop of extreme
violence. Men are more likely to be targeted by radical Muslims and may be forced to spend
lengthy periods in hiding to escape being killed, and both men and boys are vulnerable to forced
militia recruitment. Women and girls primarily experience violence behind closed doors within
the context of their family. Women are also vulnerable within the context of displacement: An
16Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
estimated 73% of the 4 million displaced people in Yemen are women and children (UNFPA,
February 2021).
Trends analysis
1) Peace negotiations keep stalling and re-starting
In its seventh year of civil war, Yemen is a country on the brink of collapse. The Stockholm peace
process that was started at the end of 2018 raised hopes that the war might be ended through
international mediation. However, a political solution has remained elusive. The fact that the
process came to a standstill in August 2019 with the collapse of the anti-Houthi coalition has
further complicated the situation. Former allies United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have
parted ways, together with the different militias they were supporting. A positive step towards
ending the conflict - although unsuccessful - was the signing of a peace agreement between the
Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the UN-recognized government in November
2019. Since then there has been no significant progress in the peace process.
2) The war in Yemen has led to high levels of violence and lawlessness
High levels of lawlessness increase the likelihood of oppression targeting minorities, including
Christians. In its Yemen Country Profile, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU 2020) stresses the
fact that even if a peace deal is agreed, "the ongoing presence of al-Qaida and growing calls for
southern secessionism will mean the conflict continues".
3) Yemen is experiencing a major humanitarian crisis
The poorest country of the Middle East finds itself in the middle of a devastating humanitarian
catastrophe. The country’s humanitarian and economic situation is so severe that it will take
years to recover. According to the BMI Research Group's Yemen Country Risk Report (December
2020), Yemen is highly dependent on foreign aid and thus very vulnerable to external economic
factors such as a drop in oil prices that would affect financial support for reconstruction from
Gulf state allies.
4) Islamic militant groups are expected to remain a threat during the next few years
Since radical Islamic groups are an important driver of the main persecution engine in Yemen -
Islamic oppression - their continued presence does not bode well for the religious freedom of
Yemen’s religious minorities, notably its Christians. The situation is particularly delicate as the
majority of the Christian community consists of indigenous Christians from a Muslim
background.
External Links - Keys to understanding
• Recent history: International Crisis Group - https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/gulf-and-
arabian-peninsula/yemen/yemens-multiplying-conflicts
• Political and legal landscape: 0.3% - https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SG.GEN.PARL.ZS/rankings
• Political and legal landscape: CEDAW, 2018 - https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/720493
• Political and legal landscape: Girls Not Brides/Yemen, 2021 - https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/child-
marriage/yemen/
17Yemen – WWL 2022 Full Country Dossier – December 2021
• Political and legal landscape: OECD, 2019 - https://www.genderindex.org/wp-
content/uploads/files/datasheets/2019/SD.pdf
• Economic landscape: UNDP's 2019 report: - http://www.hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2019.pdf
• Economic landscape: April 2021 update -
https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/yemen/publication/economic-update-april-2021
• Economic landscape: UN World Food Programme - https://www.wfp.org/countries/yemen
• Economic landscape: Georgetown, 2019/20, p.34 - https://giwps.georgetown.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2019/12/WPS-Index-2019-20-Report.pdf
• Economic landscape: OECD, 2019 - https://www.genderindex.org/wp-
content/uploads/files/datasheets/2019/SD.pdf
• Social and cultural landscape: UNDP, “Assessing the Impact of War on Development in Yemen”, 2019 -
https://www.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/doc/Crisis
• Social and cultural landscape: UNHCR - https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/yemen/
• Social and cultural landscape: United Nations Press Release -
https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20432.doc.htm
• Social and cultural landscape: Amnesty International, 16 December 2019 -
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/12/yemen-one-of-the-worst-places-in-the-world-to-be-
a-woman/
• Social and cultural landscape: UNFPA, 2018, p.15 - https://arabstates.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-
pdf/Yemen%20Country%20Assessment%20-%20English_0.pdf
• Social and cultural landscape: SaferWorld, 27 October 2020 - https://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/news-
and-analysis/post/912-uniting-women-peacebuilders-in-yemen-during-covid-19
• Technological landscape: 2019 stats by Napoleon Cat - https://napoleoncat.com/stats/facebook-users-in-
yemen/2019/02#:~:text=There%20were%202%20219%20300,men%20lead%20by%20720%20000.
• Technological landscape: GSMA, 2020, “The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2020”, p.9). -
https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GSMA-The-Mobile-Gender-
Gap-Report-2020.pdf
• Technological landscape: Georgetown research - https://giwps.georgetown.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2019/12/WPS-Index-2019-20-Report.pdf
• Security situation: The Project on Middle East Political Science - https://pomeps.org/wp-
content/uploads/2018/01/POMEPS_Studies_29_Yemen_Web_Jan.2018.pdf
• Security situation: UNFPA, February 2021 - https://arabstates.unfpa.org/en/publications/unfpa-humanitarian-
response-yemen-2021-0
• Trends analysis: Yemen Country Risk Report - https://www.marketresearch.com/Business-Monitor-
International-v304/Yemen-Country-Risk-Q1-13882571/
WWL 2022: Church information / Yemen
Christian origins
Centuries before the advent of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula had considerable numbers of Jews
and synagogues, Christians (probably mostly Nestorians) and church buildings. There are at least
two traditions about how Christian faith came to the Arabian Peninsula. According to one
tradition, Bishop Theophilus Indus was sent as an envoy of the Byzantine Emperor to Yemen’s
Kingdom of Himyar in 356 AD, and he founded the first known church in Aden and two more to
the north. There were also some successful missionary activities from Syria, so that by the sixth
century, Yemen had bishops, priests, monks and martyrs, resembling any other Christian land.
There was a large cathedral in Sana'a.
Freedom for Christians was halted when King Dhu Nuwas converted to Judaism. He carried out
a major massacre of the Christian population. The survivors requested help from the Byzantine
Empire, which sent an army from Aksum (Ethiopia) across the Red Sea to Yemen in 525 AD. This
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