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| American Man Imprisoned in Yemen Calls Home; Fears for Life | American Man Imprisoned in Yemen Calls Home; Fears for Life |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sharif Mobley, an American man imprisoned in Yemen since 2010, made a rare call to his lawyers this week, urging for help to secure his release amid new fears for his life. | Sharif Mobley, an American man imprisoned in Yemen since 2010, made a rare call to his lawyers this week, urging for help to secure his release amid new fears for his life. |
| In an audio recording of a 10-minute phone conversation released by the international human rights NGO Reprieve, the lawyers representing Mobley, the 31-year-old father of three described the conditions of the prison he’s held at as “dangerous.” | |
| Yemen has been in chaos since early this year, when the government collapsed, leaving Houthi Shiite rebels in charge of much of the country. The situation became even more chaotic this week, as Saudi Arabia launched an air strike campaign directed at the Houthis. | Yemen has been in chaos since early this year, when the government collapsed, leaving Houthi Shiite rebels in charge of much of the country. The situation became even more chaotic this week, as Saudi Arabia launched an air strike campaign directed at the Houthis. |
| Mobley said the building he was held in shook during the bombing. “I’m afraid,” he said. “I told [the guard] I need to be transferred out. I’m not a soldier, I’m a civilian. I don’t need to be in this city.” | Mobley said the building he was held in shook during the bombing. “I’m afraid,” he said. “I told [the guard] I need to be transferred out. I’m not a soldier, I’m a civilian. I don’t need to be in this city.” |
| When asked if he could identify his location, which had been unconfirmed to this point, Mobley said that he’s being held at a military base in a central neighborhood in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. “Hadda Street,” he said. | |
| “I’m in the basement, and that’s why I’m afraid,” he said. “It’s truly dark, no windows, I haven’t seen the sun in months.” | “I’m in the basement, and that’s why I’m afraid,” he said. “It’s truly dark, no windows, I haven’t seen the sun in months.” |
| Mobley says the prison is a target for air strikes because it has anti-aircraft guns on the roof. “It’s literally on top of the building,” he said. “So when they’re bombing, they’re trying to bomb this building.” | Mobley says the prison is a target for air strikes because it has anti-aircraft guns on the roof. “It’s literally on top of the building,” he said. “So when they’re bombing, they’re trying to bomb this building.” |
| Mobley also told his lawyers that he is still being held by Yemen’s National Security Bureau, which is functioning despite the government’s collapse. Mobely also said he hadn’t heard from the U.S. embassy since December. | Mobley also told his lawyers that he is still being held by Yemen’s National Security Bureau, which is functioning despite the government’s collapse. Mobely also said he hadn’t heard from the U.S. embassy since December. |
| The New Jersey native asked State Department personnel to pass a message to his family, but expressed doubt over whether that had happened. His wife, Nzinga, has also expressed frustration about sporadic contact with the State Department. “Anytime I ever had contact with the embassy or State Department was through my initiation,” she told The Intercept in an interview last month. “And I get either no response or a weak response.” | The New Jersey native asked State Department personnel to pass a message to his family, but expressed doubt over whether that had happened. His wife, Nzinga, has also expressed frustration about sporadic contact with the State Department. “Anytime I ever had contact with the embassy or State Department was through my initiation,” she told The Intercept in an interview last month. “And I get either no response or a weak response.” |
| The State Department declined a request to comment from The Intercept on Mobley, citing “privacy reasons.” | The State Department declined a request to comment from The Intercept on Mobley, citing “privacy reasons.” |
| The U.S. embassy in Yemen closed its doors last month and evacuated its personnel, making any immediate prospects for U.S. government help in securing his release even less likely. | The U.S. embassy in Yemen closed its doors last month and evacuated its personnel, making any immediate prospects for U.S. government help in securing his release even less likely. |
| “I don’t know that I’m going to make it out of here alive,” he said. | “I don’t know that I’m going to make it out of here alive,” he said. |