Condemnation Statement for the Abduction Campaign of UN and International Organization Staff in 4 Yemeni Governorates

The armed Houthi group raided homes and abducted United Nations employees and other international organization workers in four provinces under their control in Yemen on Thursday, June 6, 2024.

According to our sources, the Houthi security and intelligence apparatus carried out simultaneous armed operations in Sana’a, Al Hudaydah, Saada, and Amran, targeting Yemeni employees working for the United Nations and international organizations. The sources confirmed that 18 employees and workers from UN agencies, bodies, and international organizations were abducted. Some of them had their homes raided, were interrogated inside, and had their mobile phones and computers confiscated before being taken away in military vehicles to an undisclosed location.

The organization obtained a list of the kidnapped individuals and their affiliations with UN and international organizations. Here are the details:

One UNICEF employee
Six employees from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
One UNDP employee
One WFP employee
One employee from the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Yemen
One employee from Save the Children
Three employees from the Relief and Development Response (RRD)
A Yemeni civil society organization worker
Two employees from Oxfam

An employee from CARE USA
A female employee from the Social Fund for Development (a Yemeni government institution)

We strongly condemn this serious escalation, which constitutes a violation of the privileges and immunities granted to UN staff under international law. These actions are oppressive and extortionate, aimed at gaining political and economic gains.

Simultaneously, we call for the disclosure of the fate of these abducted individuals and their immediate release, along with their colleagues who have been unlawfully detained in Houthi-controlled areas in Sana’a for approximately 30 months, as well as all other unlawfully detained persons.

Issued by Mayyun Organization for Human Rights June 7, 2024