The United Nations confirmed on Friday that 11 of its staff were “detained” by the Houthi militia in Yemen, emphasizing that efforts are underway to secure their unconditional release, according to the spokesperson for the organization’s Secretary-General.
Stéphane Dujarric told reporters, “I can confirm that Houthi authorities have detained 11 local employees working in Yemen,” adding that the organization has requested “clarifications” from the Houthi militia.
Additionally, the Houthi militia announced the arrest of 18 humanitarian workers in Yemen, including United Nations personnel, in what appears to be a widespread and coordinated detention campaign, as reported by a non-governmental organization and a diplomatic source on Friday.
The Mwatana Organization for Human Rights reported that on Thursday, the Houthi militia “raided homes and abducted employees of the United Nations and other international organizations” operating in four regions under their control. The detentions, which occurred in the provinces of Sana’a, Hodeidah, Saada, and Amran, affected 10 employees of United Nations agencies and 8 workers with local and international NGOs.
Mwatana highlighted that the security apparatus of the Houthi militia “carried out a simultaneous armed campaign, targeting Yemeni employees working for the United Nations and international organizations.” It detailed that several of these employees had their homes raided, were interrogated inside, and had their mobile phones and computers confiscated before being taken in military vehicles to an unknown location.
The organization strongly condemned “this serious escalation, which constitutes a violation of the privileges and immunities granted to United Nations employees under international law,” and denounced “comprehensive repressive extortionate practices for political and economic gains.”
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Muammar Al-Eryani, spoke on the X platform about “an unprecedented escalation and blatant violation of international laws and conventions.”
