NYN | News
A wave of controversy has swept through the city of Taiz following the exposure of an organized criminal networkinvolved in an online extortion case that targeted underage girls and young men — one of the most shocking and talked-about cases in recent months.
The story began at the canteen of a public girls’ school, where one of the workers allegedly tried to lure students under the age of sixteen outside the school premises, where members of the gang were waiting. However, the alertness and courage of the students, who immediately informed their families, led to the uncovering of the network’s operations.
Lawyer Kamal Al-Quwati, representing one of the victims, stated in a media interview that the main suspect fled with the help of unidentified parties, while the gang resorted to violence—throwing grenades at the victims’ homes in an attempt to spread fear and deter them from pursuing legal action.
Despite the submission of official complaints to the Criminal Investigation Department, the response was delayeduntil the killing of one gang member by a relative of one of the victims brought the case back into the security spotlight, prompting authorities to take serious action.
Human rights activist Ahmed Ghazi warned of attempts to release some members of the network due to pressure from influential figures, raising concerns that the truth might be covered up.
In the same context, the Public Prosecution affiliated with the internationally recognized government announced the establishment of a special division to combat cyber extortion crimes, with a focus on protecting women and girls. Human rights advocates have called for expanding its powers and strengthening digital protection mechanisms to better address such crimes.
