UN urges Yemen's Houthis to release detained staff
The United States has also called on the Houthis to release Yemeni employees of the US government.
The United Nations on Wednesday called for the immediate release of two UN staff members detained earlier this month by the Houthis in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the senior Houthi officials gave the UN assurances last week that they would release the men. One of the Yemeni staffers works for the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the other is employed by the UN human rights office.
“As far as the secretary-general is aware, the staff members are being held without charge, and no specific information has been provided regarding the reasons for their arrest,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, adding that the Yemeni staff have been unable to contact their families.
“As of today, the staff members remain in detention in breach of UN privileges and immunities and in direct contravention to the assurances we received last week,” Dujarric said. “We call again for their immediate release.”
