Houthi Militia Detains 163 UN, NGO, Diplomatic Staff Since 2014

A human rights report has documented 163 instances of abduction, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearance carried out by the Houthi militia since 2014. The victims include personnel from the United Nations, international and local organizations, as well as staff from diplomatic missions and foreign embassies, in what is described as a systematic campaign against humanitarian and diplomatic workers.

The Yemen Women Empowerment Foundation (YWEF), in its report, stated that the victims were not parties to the conflict but rather employees performing humanitarian, relief, and diplomatic duties. These included workers from UN agencies, relief organizations, civil society organizations, current and former embassy and foreign mission staff, alongside journalists and foreign nationals detained due to their work.

The report indicated that these violations are part of a policy aimed at intimidating the international community, pressuring humanitarian organizations, and restricting the activities of entities operating outside the control of the Iran-backed militia.

The targeting of humanitarian workers has directly impacted civilians, leading to the disruption of relief programs and the reduction of humanitarian operations. This has prompted several international organizations to curtail their activities or scale back their presence in Yemen, despite millions of residents relying on humanitarian aid for survival.

The foundation called upon the United Nations, member states, the Human Rights Council, and relevant international mechanisms to take urgent action to secure the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals, reveal the fate of those forcibly disappeared, and ensure accountability for those responsible for these violations. YWEF emphasized that protecting humanitarian work requires providing a safe environment for its personnel and ending impunity.