UN Demands Houthis Reveal Circumstances of Employee's Death in Their Prisons
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed his concern over the death of an employee of his office, Mohammed Al-Shami, while in Houthi custody, demanding that the group's authorities conduct an urgent, independent, and comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances of his death.
In a press statement on Saturday, Türk said that Al-Shami had been arbitrarily detained by the Houthis since June 6, 2024, and died more than a month ago, according to information his office received from his family, who were only recently informed of his death.
The UN Commissioner expressed his condolences to Al-Shami's family, describing his death as a great loss for the Commission and the United Nations system, noting that his family has not yet received any explanation regarding the cause or circumstances of his death, and they have the right to know the truth.
Türk called on the Houthi authorities to release all medical and detention records related to the deceased employee, preserve evidence, and subject the declared cause of death to an independent review to ensure accountability for any wrongdoing.
In a related context, the High Commissioner warned of the risks to the safety of the remaining UN staff detained by the Houthis, including seven of his office's employees, as well as humanitarian workers and civil society organizations.
He reiterated his demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees, stressing the need to ensure their safety, provide them with healthcare, allow them to communicate with their families, and grant the UN regular access to them until their release.
Türk considered that the continued detention of UN staff undermines the organization's ability to assist Yemenis amid the worsening humanitarian and human rights crisis and raises serious concerns about the safety of UN workers and the organization's ability to continue its activities in Houthi-controlled areas.
He called on the group's authorities to change their approach, emphasizing that no family should have to face the circumstances currently experienced by the families of the detained UN staff.
Source: United Nations
