Yemen’s Mwatana Wins the Baldwin Medal of Liberty

Mwatana, an independent Yemeni human rights organization and an invaluable source for documenting the impact of drone-strikes carried out there, has won the Baldwin Award for their work documenting human rights violations.

The multi-party war in Yemen has been going on for three years now, leading to what the UN has deemed the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with millions of Yemenis at risk of starvation and dependent on aid. On top of this, since 2011 the number of drone strikes in Yemen has risen rapidly to over 300, possibly killing over 200 civilians. Meanwhile, Mwatana’s chairperson Radhya al-Mutawakel and executive director Abdulrasheed al-Faqih have “faced detention, attacks, and harassment” as a result of their reporting of violations by all parties to the conflict.

Mwatana has worked continuously to document these drone strikes and their impact on civilians by undertaking field investigations, producing objective accounts, and providing legal assistance to civilian victims. Its report, Death by Drone, provides a first-hand, in-depth account of civilian harm caused by US drone strikes. The organization also found that the civilian deaths as a result of these strikes make US counter-terrorism efforts ineffective, and help perpetuate the cycle of violence.

In response to receiving the award, Radhya al-Mutawakel stated: “We at Mwatana are delighted that the Baldwin Award recognizes our work. This award will bring much-needed attention to the tragedy of what is really happening in Yemen. It also serves as a further incentive for us to tell the stories of the Yemeni victims of human rights violations, and enables us to continue to push for accountability and justice”.