Key facts
- UN Human Rights Office staffer Mohammad el Shami died in Houthi custody.
- He had been detained for more than two years.
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an independent investigation.
A Yemeni staff member of the UN Human Rights Office died in Houthi custody after being arbitrarily detained for over two years, the UN human rights chief said on Saturday. Mohammad el Shami had been held by the Houthi militant group since June 6, 2024. His family was informed of his death more than a month after it occurred, with no explanation of the cause or circumstances.
The death of a UN staff member in custody highlights the ongoing human rights concerns and the volatile security situation in Yemen, potentially impacting international humanitarian efforts and diplomatic relations.
A Yemeni staff member of the UN Human Rights Office has died in Houthi custody after being arbitrarily detained for more than two years, the UN human rights chief said on Saturday. Mohammad el Shami had been held by the Houthi militant group since June 6, 2024. His family was informed of his death more than a month after it occurred, with no explanation of the cause or circumstances. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for a prompt, independent and thorough investigation and demanded the immediate release of all other UN personnel held by the Houthis. Yemen's prime minister condemned the death, held the Houthis fully responsible, and stated that more than 70 UN employees and dozens of humanitarian workers remain detained. The Houthis, who seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, have not commented immediately and have previously accused detained individuals of being part of spy networks.
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