UN Renews Demands for Houthis to Immediately Release Its Detained Employees
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The United Nations renewed its demand on Wednesday for the Houthi group to immediately and unconditionally release 73 of its staff members who are being arbitrarily detained. The UN emphasized that the situation in Yemen remains extremely dangerous.
In a message marking the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, the Head of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, stated: “I express my sincere solidarity with our detained colleagues and their families, who live every day in a state of uncertainty and fear—some for more than five years.”
She affirmed that any detention of humanitarian workers not only violates their fundamental rights, international law, and diplomatic immunity but also undermines humanitarian efforts and delays the delivery of life-saving aid to millions of people.
During 2025, the Houthi group launched an extensive arrest campaign targeting employees of UN organizations. This included raids on their workplaces in Houthi-controlled areas and the confiscation of devices and equipment belonging to the international organization.
