Geneva: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Tuesday urged Houthi authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" release UN staff detained in Yemen, warning that "their safety and well-being are at grave risk".
According to Kuwait News Agency, Turk reported that one of his UN colleagues, who has been arbitrarily detained by the de facto authorities in Yemen since November 2021, was presented before the so-called "Special Criminal Court" in Yemen on fabricated charges of espionage related to his work. He stated, "This is totally unacceptable and a grave human rights violation."
Turk expressed concern over reports of mistreatment of numerous staff members in detention. He noted that this colleague, along with dozens of other UN and humanitarian staff, have been detained while bravely carrying out their work assisting the people of Yemen and have been held in intolerable conditions ever since.
Turk called for respect for the privileges and immunities of the UN and its staff, and urged for the facilitation of humanitarian and life-saving work in support of the Yemeni people and their human rights.