Republican senators ask Biden's UN rep to highlight Houthi rights abuses
Some Houthi officials in Yemen have already been sanctioned by the United States and the United Nations this year.
A group of Republican senators are demanding the Biden administration bring international attention to alleged human rights abuses committed by Houthi forces in Yemen.
Sen. Jim Risch of Idado, who is the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led the publication of the letter on Monday to US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
Risch, along with Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Todd Young of Indiana and Mike Crapo of Idaho, implored the diplomat to highlight abuses and “mass indoctrination of the Yemeni people” carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi forces. They said that the lack of attention on the issue discourages the Houthi rebels from negotiating in Yemen’s civil war.
"For too long, the international community has turned a blind eye to Houthi atrocities,” wrote the senators. “This lack of international attention has led to a culture of impunity, and, as a result, the Houthis today are less willing to negotiate in good faith.”
