Black market for graves in Houthi-controlled areas

The prices of graves in the Houthi-controlled areas, have witnessed an unprecedented rise, in light of the fact that most of Sanaa's cemeteries are full and finding a grave has become extremely difficult.
 
Residents in Yemen's Sanaa complain about the insanely high prices of graves in recent times, as the price of a grave ranged between YR150 to 250 thousand, especially in the remaining spaces in some cemeteries within residential neighborhoods in the center of Sanaa, where the graves became reserved for the rich or the families of the Houthi leaders.
 
According to residents spoke with Khabar Agency, this segment books graves next to the graves of their relatives and pays money in advance. These payments are paid to those in charge of cemeteries, grave diggers, and the leadership of the Awqaf Office, which is under the control of the Houthis.
 
For poor families looking for a grave for one of their relatives, are being told that there is no space inside the cemetery or that it is filled up.
 
Brokerage has reached the cemeteries, and there are now a group of Houthi elements who are engaged in this trade, which has turned the remaining spaces in the public cemeteries in Sanaa into an auction.
 
Before the Houthis seized power on September 21, 2014, the prices of graves in Sanaa ranged between YR30,000 and 50,000, but they jumped by a much higher rate than they were previously.
 
Residents in Yemen's Sanaa are forced to search for graves to a relative at prices commensurate with their difficult financial situation in far or remote areas outside the city, in light of the overpriced graves.