Amnesty International called for an urgent investigation into the death in custody of a UN humanitarian worker, who had been arbitrarily detained since 23 January 2025 and was held at a Huthi-run detention centre in northern
“The news that a UN humanitarian worker with the World Food Programme (WFP) has died in custody at a Huthi-run detention facility is truly appalling. There must be an urgent independent, effective and impartial investigation into the circumstances that led to his death,” said Amnesty International’s Yemen Researcher, Diala Haidar adding that the the Huthis have a track record of using torture and other ill-treatment in their detention centres, raising fears that this humanitarian worker may have died as a result of torture or other ill-treatment.
Haidar said “This death in custody also heightens fears for the safety and well-being of all others who remain arbitrarily detained in Huthi-run detention centres, including more than 65 staff from UN agencies and Yemeni and international civil society organizations”, demanding Huthis to immediately release all individuals they arbitrarily detain, including those who are being held solely in connection with their human rights or humanitarian work.”
Starting on 31 May 2024 over two weeks, the Huthis conducted a series of raids in areas under their control arbitrarily detaining 13 UN staff and at least 50 staff from Yemeni and international civil society organizations.
To date, only three people have been released – one UN staff member and two NGO staff members.
Between 23 and 25 January 2025, the Huthis conducted another wave of arrests arbitrarily detaining eight UN staff, including the UN staff member whose death in detention was reported on 11 February. All the detainees are held without charge and without access to a lawyer or their families.
“The waves of arrests targeting local and international humanitarian and civil society workers exacerbate an already desperate humanitarian situation in Yemen, where at least 80% of the population relies on aid to survive, according to the UN. And it is Yemeni civilians in critical need of aid who will pay the price of this brutal crackdown,” said Diala Haidar.
“Instead of threatening and obstructing human rights and humanitarian workers who increasingly feel at risk of arrest and reprisal for doing their work, Huthis must facilitate their work and the movement of aid so they can reach the millions of people in Yemen who are currently in need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.”