Yemeni model and actress Entisar al-Hammadi has been released after nearly five years in detention on charges of indecent behavior, her lawyer confirmed on Sunday. Hammadi, 25, was arrested in February 2021 in Sanaa while en route to a photo shoot. She was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison on allegations of prostitution, drug use, and fornication—claims her legal team and human rights organizations have vehemently dismissed as fabricated and politically motivated to suppress women’s freedoms. Her lawyer, Khaled al-Kamal, revealed that Hammadi was released on Saturday from the central prison in Sanaa. He also noted that her health had significantly deteriorated during her incarceration, as she suffered from various illnesses. Rights groups have reported that the high-profile model attempted to take her own life in 2021, highlighting the severe psychological toll of her imprisonment. Born to an Ethiopian mother and a Yemeni father, Hammadi had gained prominence as a model, sharing numerous photos online in both traditional Yemeni attire and modern outfits, with and without a headscarf. She had worked as a model for four years and appeared in two Yemeni television series in 2020, amassing thousands of followers on Instagram and Facebook. Human Rights Watch (HRW) described her case as ‘marred with irregularities and abuse,’ condemning the court proceedings as arbitrary and lacking due process. Amnesty International further detailed that Hammadi was subjected to blindfolded interrogations, physical and verbal abuse, racist insults, and forced confessions to crimes she did not commit. HRW’s March 2024 report highlighted that warring factions in Yemen, including the Houthis, the internationally recognized government, and the Southern Transitional Council, have systematically curtailed women’s rights in their respective territories. These oppressive policies have severely restricted women’s mobility, access to work, education, healthcare, and their ability to visit family members, underscoring the broader struggle for gender equality in the region.