UN Renews Its Demand for The Houthis to Immediately Release Its Detained Personnel
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Secretary-General of the United Nations renewed, on Thursday, his condemnation of the detention by the Houthi de facto authorities of dozens of personnel working for the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions in Yemen, coinciding with the passage of two years since the detention of a number of them.
The Deputy Spokesperson for the United Nations, Farhan Haq, said in a press statement that the Secretary-General also renewed his condemnation of the arbitrary detention of UN personnel during the years 2021, 2023, and 2025, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees.
Haq explained that 73 UN personnel remain arbitrarily detained, noting that “one of our colleagues among the UN personnel died while in detention.”
He added that some of the detainees are being held incommunicado, without being allowed to communicate with their families or lawyers.
He considered that these actions represent a violation of international law, cause great suffering to the families of the detainees, and have significantly limited the ability of the United Nations and its partners to deliver humanitarian assistance to millions of people in need across Yemen.
The statement indicated that UN personnel, including Yemenis, enjoy immunity from legal proceedings regarding acts performed by them in their official capacity.
The Secretary-General stressed the importance of continuing dialogue and communication with the Houthi de facto authorities with the aim of ensuring the release of the detained personnel and enabling the resumption of humanitarian and development activities.
He emphasized that the United Nations will continue to work through all possible means to ensure the immediate and safe release of the detainees, reiterating his full solidarity with them and their families.
He also stressed that humanitarian workers should not be targets for detention because of the performance of their humanitarian duties.
The Secretary-General renewed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting the Yemeni people and their aspirations toward achieving a just and lasting peace.
