UN Announces the Houthi Arrest of 11 Of Its Staff Following the Assassination of Their Government
Yemen Monitor / Amman / Exclusive
The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Sunday strongly condemned the recent arrests of UN staff in Sana’a and Hudaidah by the armed Houthi group, which occurred after Israel assassinated the head of the Houthi government and several ministers.
Grundberg expressed his condemnation of the raids on UN headquarters and the seizure of its property.
A statement issued by Grundberg indicated that at least 11 UN staff members have been arrested recently, bringing the total number of detained UN employees to 23. Some of these individuals have been held since 2021 and 2023. The statement also noted the death of one employee while in detention earlier this year.
Sources told “Yemen Monitor” that the Houthis raided the headquarters of the World Food Programme and UNICEF in Sana’a, where staff were interrogated before some were kidnapped along with data storage devices.
Grundberg affirmed that these arrests significantly hinder humanitarian and peace efforts in Yemen. He stressed that the work of UN staff is based on the principles of neutrality, integrity, and independence, and that these arrests constitute a blatant violation of these principles.
The UN envoy demanded the Houthi group’s immediate and unconditional release of all detained UN staff, as well as aid workers from non-governmental organizations, civil society, and diplomatic missions. He also expressed his solidarity with the families of the detainees, emphasizing that their release is a top priority for him and the entire UN family.
