Libi Salem Musa al Marhabi was condemned to imprisonment by the Houthis of Yemen under the accusation of  assisting several jews from Raydah , who flow to Israel, in the transportation of a Torah scroll, estimated to be 800 years old, to Israel. His detention happened after he returned to Yemen from Israel, in 2016. 

He was sentenced to three years in prison, however, when in 2019 the supreme court of Yemen ordered his release, the Supreme Houthi Court refused  to release him, and released only his non-Jewish collaborants. He was kept in a solitary confinement since then. 

After October 7 2023 Libi was moved by the Houthis into a more dangerous prison that was meant for extremists, who were threatening him while he was there.  After going on a strike over his transition, he was taken back into the solitary confinement where he was kept before. 

Now, in 2025, he is still in prison. His health condition by 2024 has, according to reports, deteritoriated, due to continuous torture and prison conditions. He had been subjected to electronic shocks and continuous interrogations, and now he is reportedly half-paralysed. 

The case had risen concern of the people of all religious backgrounds across the world. Among the most active defenders of the case appears to have been the American Sefardi federation that called for the Jewish organisations across the world to work together towards his release. The case does not appear to have caused a strong response from the American or Israeli government, with Pompeo having briefly mentioned Marhabi in his commentaries, without doing any consequent action. 

It might be related to the legal system of Yemen under the Houthis, that is rooted in the totalitarian religious ideology.  It includes into itself an "anti-apostasy law" that is occasionally punishable with death penalty, and cannot be removed due to the phrasing of the consitution, that mentions islam as a state religion. The National council of minorities of Yemen had demanded its removal from the constitution in 2024.  The NCM also expressed its concern with continuous detention of Libi Al Marhabi. 

As far as it goes, the Houthis despite claiming to be concerned by the safety of the Torah Scroll, seem to be to a large degree unfamiliar with the history of their own country. Yemen had been the home of some of the historical Jewish kingdoms outside of Palestine- Himyar, the last ruler of which, Yosef As'ar, also became famous for having captured several Roman trade vessels in the Red sea,  and for his seven year long struggle against the Abyssinian occupation. The story is well known from the varied Christian chronicles and the Musnad inscrpitions from Bi'r Hima , close to Najran. 

Retuning back to the case of Libi Al Marhabi, I want to add that I believe that the fact that the imrisonment continues till now,  , is a clear demonstration of what pillars the "morality" of the Houthi regime is standing on, and merely populistic motivations of their "antiimperialist activities" the victims of which happen to often be their own civilians belonging to religious minorities , who constitute the integral part of the society of the country, and especially the Jews, whom their motto villifies. The situation in Yemen does not improve because of these actions, but only brings suffering to the detainee and his family. 

I call forward to anyone concerned about humanity and human lives and values to pay attention to this message and to campaign for freeing Libi Al Marhabi, and to the Supreme court of the Houthis to release him immediately. 

Link to the more detailed description of the case from ASF

Description of the case and more information about Levi on USCIRF

Thank you all for your concern.