The United Nations on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, denounced the accusations of espionage levied against its detained staff by the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization, as "shocking."

The statement, released by the UN Human Rights Office and obtained by Barran Press, expressed the organization's "deep concern for the safety of 13 of its staff and others from non-governmental organizations currently held by the Houthis."

The statement highlighted that the UN remains "denied access to its detained staff," expressing particular concern for "two other UN staff members" who have been detained for extended periods, one since November 2021 and the other since August 2023.

The UN urged the "de facto authorities" in Sana'a, referring to the Houthis, to "immediately and unconditionally release them."

In this regard, the UN Human Rights Office called on nations and entities with influence over the Houthis to pressure them to ensure "the safe and immediate release of all detained UN and NGO staff."

The statement demanded the Houthis "guarantee the treatment of detainees with full respect for their human rights, allowing them to contact their families and legal representatives." It further stated, "The targeting of human rights and humanitarian workers in Yemen must cease immediately."

On Monday, July 8, the Yemeni Minister of Information, representing the internationally recognized government, criticized UN and international organizations for their "passive and negligent" stances towards their detained staff held by the Houthis.

Minister Al-Eryani stated that "the failure of these organizations to take any action against the Houthis has left most Yemenis frustrated," noting that thousands of current and former employees of these organizations are now at the mercy of a "terrorist group with no covenant, pact, or honor."

According to the official Yemeni news agency Saba, the Yemeni Information Minister warned of a "large-scale terrorist and criminal plan" that the Houthis are reportedly preparing to execute in the coming phase, involving the arrest of hundreds of local employees in several foreign embassies and international organizations.

He stated that "the Houthis' campaigns of kidnapping and forced detention against organization staff are ongoing and escalating," including a one-month deadline for anyone who has worked with these organizations in the past to turn themselves in.

Since June 8, the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization, has launched a wave of arrests targeting dozens of individuals, including at least 13 UN staff members and numerous NGO workers operating in Houthi-controlled areas.

On June 9, informed sources told Bran Press that the Houthis forced recently detained staff members to confess under torture, describing the confessions extracted from them as "contrived" and alleging their involvement in a "Washington and Israeli-backed intelligence agency spying against the group."

On June 24, Minister of Human Rights and Legal Affairs Ahmed Arman accused the Houthis of "continuing their arrest campaign, which began at the start of this month, against aid workers from international, UN, and local organizations in Sana'a," clarifying that the number of detainees has exceeded 70, confirming that they include staff from UN agencies, international and local organizations, including five women.