Amnesty International has called on Houthi authorities in Yemen to immediately release detained staff from the UN and various civil society organizations. This appeal comes one month after what Amnesty describes as the workers’ arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances following raids on homes and offices in several Yemeni cities, including Sana’a, Hodiedah, and Hajjah. Amnesty asserts that the Houthi authorities have detained 13 UN staff and at least 14 members from both Yemeni and international civil society organizations. These detentions were carried out during a series of nighttime raids conducted between May 31 and June 9.
The detainees are currently being held incommunicado, with no access to legal counsel and their whereabouts undisclosed to their families. An investigation by Human Rights Watch has suggested that these conditions meet the criteria for enforced disappearances, a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
This is not the first time Houthi authorities have targeted humanitarian workers. In previous incidents in 2021 and 2023, four Yemeni UN staff members were arrested and have since been held incommunicado in arbitrary detention. A media campaign by Houthi authorities has accused human rights and humanitarian agencies of conspiring against the country’s interests, increasing the risk of arrest and reprisal for those working in these sectors. For further details, refer to the full report.
This latest wave of arrests occurs as the Houthis face increased economic difficulties and retaliatory airstrikes due to their recent attacks on commercial ships amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict. Amnesty International indicated that these actions might be an attempt to divert attention from the group’s governance failures and the pause in humanitarian aid by the World Food Programme due to concerns over aid manipulation.
Diala Haidar, Yemen Researcher at Amnesty International, stated: “This chilling wave of arrests targeting the human rights and humanitarian community is yet another stark reminder of the lengths the Huthi authorities will go to in their crackdown on civil society. Huthi authorities must immediately release all UN and civil society workers who have been detained solely for their human rights and humanitarian work and end their ongoing crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression and association.”