ISESCO condemns Houthi militias’looting of academic and history manuscripts and books from historic library of Zabid city
22 January 2019
Rabat: 20/01/2019
ISESCO condemns Houthi militias’looting of academic and history manuscripts and books from historic library of Zabid city
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(ISESCO) condemned the looting, today by Houthi militias, of history and academic manuscripts and books as well as rare artefacts from the library of Zabid city, at the city’s ancient castle in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, west of the Republic of Yemen.
In this connection, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, ISESCO Director General, said that the lootedmanuscripts and booksconstitute priceless heritage that documents the history of Zabid which was the capital of Yemen between the 13thand 15th century. He stressed that such an act is a crime against Yemen’s civilizational heritage and a flagrant violation of international charters and declarations regarding the protection and preservation of civilizational heritage.
Dr Altwaijri also called on the United Nations and other international organizations, especially UNESCO, to intervene to force Houthi militias to return the stolen items as theyare part of human cultural heritage for which The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict criminalizes allattacks against it.
