UN chief calls on Yemen’s Houthi rebels to free all UN detainees

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stern call Tuesday for Yemen’s Houthi rebels to cease prosecution of detained UN staff and to promptly release all personnel held from the UN, foreign agencies, and diplomatic missions.

The UN chief condemned the Houthis’ referral of UN personnel to their special criminal court, emphasizing that such detentions violate international law, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Currently, 59 UN staff members—all Yemeni nationals—remain in Houthi custody, alongside dozens of workers from non-governmental organizations, civil society groups, and diplomatic missions. Several detainees have been referred to the criminal court in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital.

“There were procedures going on in the court, I believe, today and all of this is very, very worrying to us,” Dujarric told reporters at UN headquarters.

The situation has deteriorated significantly in recent months. In late November, the Houthi-controlled court convicted 17 people on espionage charges, sentencing them to death by public firing squad. According to the Houthi-run SABA news agency, the court claimed these individuals were part of “espionage cells within a spy network affiliated with the American, Israeli and Saudi intelligence.” A lawyer representing some defendants noted the sentences could be appealed.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed particular concern about one of his office’s staff members who has been detained since November 2021. The employee was recently presented to what Türk called a “so-called” court on “fabricated charges of espionage connected to his work.”

“This is totally unacceptable and a grave human rights violation,” Türk stated.

The human rights chief reported that detainees are being held in “intolerable conditions,” with his office receiving “very concerning reports of mistreatment of numerous staff.” Some detainees have been held incommunicado for years, according to Dujarric.

The UN has maintained constant communication with the Houthis regarding the detentions. The secretary-general and other UN officials have also raised the issue with regional powers including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, which have varying degrees of influence with the rebel group.

The detentions take place against the backdrop of Yemen’s devastating civil war, which began when the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized Sanaa in 2014. Since then, they have been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which receives support from a Saudi-led military coalition. The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing severe food insecurity and limited access to healthcare.

The Houthis’ November verdict represents just one facet of their broader crackdown in areas under their control. Throughout the civil war, they have imprisoned thousands of people in territories they govern, often targeting those perceived as opponents or foreign collaborators.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the Houthis’ judicial system, which lacks independence and frequently issues verdicts based on politically motivated charges with minimal due process. Detainees often face torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial punishments.

The situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by international organizations operating in conflict zones, particularly where non-state actors exercise territorial control. As the Yemen conflict continues with no resolution in sight, humanitarian workers and local staff working for international organizations remain vulnerable to detention and prosecution by the various factions controlling different parts of the country.