UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations and various international NGOs have raised serious concerns over the recent actions of Yemen’s Houthis, who have detained dozens of staff members, including employees from humanitarian organizations, since June.
The detainees are being falsely accused by Houthis of being part of a “US-Israeli spy network,” a claim strongly denied by the UN.
Key figures such as WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay, and Oxfam’s executive director Amitabh Behar have voiced their alarm, especially after reports emerged that many of the detainees have been referred for criminal prosecution.
The detainees, held under arbitrary circumstances, include 13 UN employees and over 50 NGO staff members.
In addition to detentions, Houthi forces stormed the UNHCR office in August, seizing documents and property, only to return them later that month. Despite the severity of the situation, the Houthi authorities have not issued formal announcements regarding the prosecutions.
The international community, including the UN Human Rights Office, has repeatedly rejected the Houthis claims and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained staff. The conflict in Yemen, which started in 2014, has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, with the ongoing war causing widespread suffering.
