Barran Press
The Houthi group, internationally recognized as a terrorist organization, has detained 11 United Nations employees in Yemen, sparking international condemnation and calls for their immediate release.
The United Nations confirmed the detentions on Friday, June 7, 2024, stating that it is working to secure their release "without conditions." Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters that the organization has demanded "clarifications" from the Houthis regarding the detentions.
The Yemeni government has also condemned the arrests, with Human Rights Minister Ahmed Arman stating that the number of UN and international agency employees detained by the Houthis has risen to 50, including 18 UN employees, since last Friday. Arman accused the Houthis of carrying out a "massive arrest campaign" targeting workers in various UN, international, and local organizations in Sana'a.
He further claimed that the Houthis are holding the detainees in their "Security and Intelligence" apparatus in Sana'a, and called on the UN to take a firm stance against the group, including halting employee visits to Sana'a and relocating UN headquarters from Sana'a to the temporary capital, Aden. Rights Watch (HRW) has also condemned the arrests, calling them "grave violations of international law." HRW reported that on Thursday, June 6, 2024, Houthi authorities raided the homes and offices of at least ten employees of UN agencies and NGOs, detaining them in Sana'a, Hodeidah, Saada, and Amran.
HRW stated that family members and colleagues of some detainees confirmed that the Houthis have not revealed their locations, nor allowed them to communicate with their employers or families. The organization warned that the Houthis' refusal to disclose the detainees' whereabouts could constitute enforced disappearance under international law.
The organization also highlighted a case where a woman working with a local civil society organization was detained along with her husband and two children, ages three and nine months.
HRW noted that the Houthis have a history of arbitrarily detaining and torturing civilians, including UN employees and NGO workers, since taking control of Sana'a and much of northern Yemen.
The international community is now facing mounting pressure to act swiftly to secure the release of the detained UN employees and ensure the safety of all UN personnel operating in Yemen.
While the exact reasons behind the detentions remain unclear, they come at a time when the Houthis are facing economic difficulties in the areas they control. The group's recent move to confront decisions made by the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden suggests a struggle to obtain enough currency to support their economy.
The Mayon Organization for Human Rights reported that Houthi forces raided the homes of several employees, interrogated them, and confiscated their cell phones and computers before transporting them to an unknown location.
Chinese news agency Xinhua, citing journalist Faris Al-Humairi, published a list of the detained employees and their respective organizations. The list includes six employees of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, three from the American Democratic Institute, two from the Social Fund for Development, and representatives from the International (Yemen Partners) Organization, the Raneen Foundation, the Civil Coalition for Peace, the Office of the UN Envoy to Yemen, and an unnamed organization.
Reuters News Agency reported that Houthi intelligence personnel raided the homes and offices of the individuals, confiscating their phones and computers. Officials from the internationally recognized Yemeni government told Reuters that the detained UN employees work in the Human Rights Office and the Humanitarian Affairs Office.
Nico Jafarnia, a researcher on Yemen and Bahrain affairs at Human Rights Watch, condemned the arrests, stating, "Such arrests not only attack the rights of these individuals but also undermine basic humanitarian and human rights work in Yemen, at a time when the majority of Yemenis do not have enough necessities such as food and water."
The Houthi group has a history of detaining UN and international agency staff. They have held approximately 20 Yemeni employees of the US embassy in Sana'a for three years since the embassy suspended operations in 2014. Additionally, the group has detained four other UN employees since 2021, who remain in custody.
The international community is now facing urgent calls to secure the release of the detained UN employees and ensure the safety of all humanitarian workers operating in Yemen. The arrests have raised serious concerns about the Houthis' commitment to human rights and the future of humanitarian assistance in the war-torn country.