Overview
- The 18 December arrests targeted local UN employees, bringing to 69 the number of Yemeni UN personnel held, with many kept in isolation and their whereabouts unknown.
- Secretary‑General António Guterres condemned the detentions and demanded the immediate, unconditional release of staff from the UN, NGOs, civil society groups and diplomatic missions.
- The UN said some detainees were referred to a Houthi court on spying charges that can carry the death penalty in Yemen, and it urged the group to rescind the prosecutions and respect UN immunities.
- UN officials warned the crackdown has crippled humanitarian operations in Houthi-controlled areas and noted a reduced presence, including relocating the humanitarian coordinator to Aden.
- The UN is pressing diplomatic channels, with Guterres engaging Oman’s ruler and committing to work with Member States, the Security Council and the Houthis to secure the detainees’ release.