Mahra Governorate, Yemen bans gunfire at weddings with heavy penalties

The security committee of Yemen's Mahra Governorate, chaired by Governor Mohammed Ali Yasser, issued an order prohibiting the discharge of firearms and fireworks at weddings and all public or private celebrations throughout the governorate. The decree, which applies to every district without exception, imposes a 48‑hour jail term, a fine of 500,000 Yemeni rials and confiscation of the weapon for a first violation. Repeat offenders face increased sentences, higher fines and immediate referral to the public prosecutor. Implementation is assigned to the governorate’s security police, the national army, the “Shield of the Nation” forces and district security officials, and the ban took effect on the day of issuance. The measure seeks to curb a widespread practice that has caused dozens of deaths and hundreds of serious injuries in the region.