The Yemeni Reform Party (Al-Islah) has emphasized that transitional justice is not a political option, but a national imperative to protect human dignity, purge the effects of successive wars, and transition towards a unified institutional state.

According to a detailed report by the Free Media Center for Investigative Journalism, Al-Islah outlined its vision, citing international experiences and agreements, including Geneva Conventions, International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and Child and Women's Rights Charters.

Al-Islah's legal and rights chief, lawyer Mohammed Naji Alalou, stated that transitional justice must translate into institutional reforms and genuine guarantees against repeated violations.

He drew on international models like South Africa, Rwanda, Chile, and Morocco, where transitional justice was linked to institutional reforms, prisoner releases, and national memory preservation.

*Yemen's Unique Challenges

Al-Islah acknowledged Yemen's complex history of conflicts since 1948, including the 1962 revolution, 1994 civil war, 2011 uprising, and 2014 Houthi war, making transitional justice more complicated.

The party noted that determining a starting point is the biggest challenge due to differing political views on which stage to begin from. Al-Islah proposed starting transitional justice from the 1994 civil war as the most feasible option.

*Institutional Reforms and National Memory

Al-Islah stressed that transitional justice goes beyond material compensation to building state institutions ensuring rights and freedoms, suggesting reforms start from the presidency, judiciary, and security sectors.

The party emphasized documenting victims, violations, and perpetrator patterns, and preserving national memory as essential steps towards healing and preventing future abuses.

*Challenges of Implementation and Party's Commitment

Al-Islah acknowledged that implementing comprehensive transitional justice nationwide is "impossible at this stage" due to ongoing civil war and multiple armed factions outside state control.

The party questioned whether conflict parties, including Houthis and the Transitional Council, are ready for accountability and not impunity.

Al-Islah proposed a phased approach, starting with localized transitional justice models in areas like Taiz or Marib, to investigate violations and train communities on transitional justice principles.

The party criticized the lack of transitional justice culture among Yemeni political forces and reaffirmed its commitment to upholding