The United Nations has intensified pressure on the Houthi militia, demanding reliable information on the whereabouts and health conditions of all detained UN staff and access to them, following the death of UN employee Mohammed Al-Shami in Houthi custody. This incident has raised serious concerns about mistreatment, medical neglect, and the potential for further fatalities within detention facilities.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric expressed grave concern over the circumstances surrounding Al-Shami's death. Al-Shami, an employee of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Yemen, was reportedly arbitrarily detained by the Houthis. Dujarric highlighted that the Houthi group's withholding of reliable information about Al-Shami's fate and health status casts doubt on his treatment during detention.
Dujarric called for an urgent, independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the death. The investigation should clarify the circumstances, timing, and causes of his demise, including the nature of his detention, whether he received timely and adequate medical care, and why his family and the UN were not immediately informed of his death. Accountability for those responsible was also demanded.
The UN spokesperson warned that any proven violations could amount to grave breaches of international law, including international human rights law. He noted that Al-Shami is the second UN employee to die while arbitrarily detained by the Houthis, underscoring the plight of other UN staff and humanitarian workers held by the group.
The UN has urged the Houthis to disclose the locations of all detainees, provide verifiable information on their health, ensure regular communication with their families, and guarantee access to specialized medical care. The organization also requested access to detention sites to assess the conditions and ensure the safety of its staff.
Dujarric emphasized that the de facto authorities in Sana'a bear full responsibility for the safety of detainees under international law, which mandates humane treatment, protection, and necessary healthcare. He called for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained UN personnel, particularly those requiring urgent medical intervention, and extended this demand to humanitarian, diplomatic, and civil society workers still in detention.
