The Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024, condemned the continued detention of Yemeni staff working for the United Nations, the US Embassy, and other international organizations and diplomatic missions by the Houthi group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the international community.

In a statement released by the Bahraini News Agency (BNA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs deemed the detention of UN and international staff a violation of international law and diplomatic norms.

The statement called for the release of all detained staff, echoing demands from international organizations and friendly nations.

Bahrain reiterated its unwavering support for regional and international efforts to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the Yemeni crisis, in accordance with the three references, preserving Yemen's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and independence, for the benefit of its people.

The Bahraini statement comes as consultations on the exchange of prisoners, detainees, and forcibly disappeared individuals between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the Houthi group commenced in the Omani capital, Muscat, on Sunday, June 30th, under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Earlier in June, the Houthi group launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting staff of international and UN organizations operating in Sana'a and areas under their control.

On June 24th, 2024, Minister of Human Rights and Legal Affairs Ahmed Erman accused the Houthi group of continuing its campaign of arrests against aid workers from international and local organizations in Sana'a, in a statement to the Chinese news agency Xinhua. He stated that the number of detainees exceeded 70, including staff from UN agencies, international and local organizations, among them five women.