{"id":691,"date":"2020-08-25T16:05:42","date_gmt":"2020-08-25T16:05:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.declassifieduk.org\/military-police-probe-british-soldier-over-yemen-war-protest\/"},"modified":"2023-04-26T19:40:30","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T18:40:30","slug":"military-police-probe-british-soldier-over-yemen-war-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.declassifieduk.org\/military-police-probe-british-soldier-over-yemen-war-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"Military police probe British soldier over Yemen war protest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The soldier, Ahmed Al-Batati, was filmed demonstrating outside the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in London on Monday before military police carried him away. The MOD has refused to comment on what had happened to him since or where he is being held.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a<\/span> video<\/span><\/a> posted before the protest, Al-Batati said he was born in Yemen and joined the British army in 2017. Al-Batati wore combat uniform with insignia suggesting he is a lance corporal from the<\/span> 14 Signals Regiment (Electronic Warfare)<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The unit is part of the Royal Corps of Signals which has<\/span> close<\/span><\/a> connections<\/span><\/a> with the Saudi Arabian National Guard, a body which protects the ruling Saud family and is<\/span> supported<\/span><\/a> by a permanent British military mission.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Explaining his reasons for the protest, Al-Batati said: \u201cYemen is facing the worst humanitarian crisis\u2026 due to years of war. This proxy war is led by Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia are responsible for multiple airstrikes, killing innocents, targeting hospitals and breaking international law. Saudi Arabia are also responsible for blocking aid from going into the country. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis has left 80% of the population in need of emergency aid. That\u2019s 24 million people in need of emergency aid. Yet our government continues to arm and support Saudi Arabia. We tried to make our voices heard by protesting in London, Manchester, Liverpool and many other cities. We\u2019ve even tried to email our MPs, but clearly our words mean nothing to Boris Johnson.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s clear this government has blood on their hands, so with that being said I refuse to continue my military service until the arms trade with Saudi Arabia has been put to an end. It is reported that a child dies every 10 minutes in Yemen, so I\u2019ll be standing outside 10 Downing Street blowing a whistle every 10 minutes so that they can hear every time a child dies due to a war they continue to arm and support.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n