UN Secretary-General calls for release of human rights activists detained by Houthis
Last Updated on January 26, 2025 7:12 am
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the “immediate and unconditional” release of all human rights activists held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, Arab News reported.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been holding dozens of UN and other human rights workers since mid-year, including 13 UN staff members who have been held since June last year.
In a statement, the UN Secretary-General said, “Their continued arbitrary detention is unacceptable.”
“The targeting of UN staff and its partners is negatively affecting the ability to assist millions of people in need in Yemen,” Guterres said.
He added, “The UN will continue to work in all possible ways to ensure the safe and immediate release of those arbitrarily detained.”
According to the UN, Yemen is in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe after a decade of war. More than 18 million people in the country need assistance and protection.
After taking office on Wednesday (January 22), US President Donald Trump issued an executive order re-designating the Houthis as a “foreign terrorist organization.” Trump’s order will review the United Nations and other NGOs working in Yemen that receive US funding.