UN staff member held 30 months dies in Houthi custody

The United Nations announced on Saturday that Mohammad al-Shami, a Yemeni staff member for the UN Human Rights Office, died while in Houthi custody. The agency stated al-Shami had been arbitrarily detained since June 2024. His family learned of his death only recently, despite it occurring more than a month prior. The UN described the death as heartbreaking and called for an immediate inquiry.

Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said no explanation had been provided for the death. He demanded full transparency from Houthi authorities and an urgent, independent, and thorough investigation. Turk also expressed grave concern for the safety of other UN personnel still detained by the group and called for their release. He noted that the family deserves to know the truth behind the incident.

Shaya al-Zindani, the prime minister of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, condemned the killing. In a post on X, he stated the Houthis bore full responsibility for the death. Al-Zindani linked al-Shami's detention to a wider pattern of violations. He cited the ongoing siege of Taiz, the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and military escalation as concurrent actions by the Houthi group.

The Houthis currently hold 71 UN personnel. UN spokesman Farhan Haq provided this figure to reporters in New York on October 14. The detention of al-Shami and other staff highlights the continued presence of international workers in Houthi prisons. The UN statement emphasized the need for clarity on how the staff member died during his 30 months in custody.

The UN has scheduled an urgent independent investigation into the death. Houthi authorities have not yet responded to the call for transparency. The family of the deceased awaits the findings of the inquiry. The remaining 70 detained UN personnel continue to be held in Yemen.