UN Agencies Demand Release of Their Staff in Yemen

On Thursday, heads of six UN agencies and three international NGOs jointly called on the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen to release their detained staff. They stated that the detention of these individuals is unprecedented and emphasized that the arrest and harassment of development and aid workers in Yemen must cease. The joint statement from the heads of these organizations reads: 'We, the leaders of UN agencies and international NGOs, demand the immediate and unconditional release of all our staff who have been detained by Houthi officials in Yemen.' The statement adds: 'We are deeply concerned about the recent actions of Houthi officials in detaining 17 members of our organizations and others who are connected with civil organizations, national and international NGOs, and other humanitarian aid advocates.' This statement has been signed by the heads of UN agencies for health, food, human rights, development, culture, and children. The heads of Oxfam and Save the Children are also among the signatories. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, announced on Tuesday that 13 UN staff members, including six of his own employees, have been detained. The joint statement from the heads of UN agencies and NGOs states: 'These detentions are unprecedented, not only in Yemen but globally, and directly hinder our services to the most vulnerable populations in Yemen, including the 18.2 million people who depend on humanitarian assistance.' They called on the Houthis to disclose the exact locations of these detainees and explain the conditions in which they are being held. The statement adds that international humanitarian law requires all parties involved in conflicts to protect aid and humanitarian workers from harassment and unlawful detention. The UN and aid agencies stated last week that these detentions appear to be a planned action. The Houthis claim to have arrested 'members of an American-Israeli espionage network' operating under the cover of humanitarian organizations, a claim that Volker Turk has called 'offensive.'