The Entesaf Organization for Women and Children’s Rights has documented the Saudi airstrike on the central correctional facility in Al-Hazm District, Al-Jawf Governorate, on September 7, reporting 37 civilians killed and seven others injured.
In a report titled “A Crime Behind Bars,” the organization said the strike caused extensive human and material losses at the facility and surrounding areas. The report included testimonies from eyewitnesses who said they experienced the bombing, along with documentation of damage to the correctional facility and nearby buildings.
According to the report, the facility contained detainees, employees and civilians when it was targeted, increasing the humanitarian impact of the attack.
The organization said the consequences extended beyond the immediate casualties, affecting survivors and families through deaths, injuries, psychological trauma, loss of breadwinners and difficulties identifying victims and completing burial and medical procedures.
The report said eyewitnesses described the strike as sudden, while residents and rescue teams faced difficulties reaching the site and recovering victims because of the extent of the destruction and hazards surrounding the area.
Entesaf said the attack raises serious concerns regarding compliance with international humanitarian law governing the protection of civilians, detainees and protected facilities.
It noted that the legal assessment of an attack requires examining the nature and use of the facility, the circumstances of the strike, and compliance with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
The organization called for the preservation of evidence, including photographs, medical records, casualty lists and eyewitness testimonies, saying such documentation could assist any future independent investigation and accountability process.
Entesaf urged the international community, the United Nations and human rights organizations to open an independent and transparent investigation into the attack, determine responsibility based on its findings and ensure that those responsible for serious violations are held accountable.
It also called for urgent medical and psychological care for survivors and support for affected families, including access to information, remedies and compensation under applicable legal standards.
