UN Demands Investigation After Rights Worker Dies in Houthi Custody in Yemen
The United Nations said Mohammad el Shami, a staff member of its human rights office, died after more than two years in Houthi detention, and called for an independent investigation and the release of other detained staff.
The United Nations said on Saturday that Mohammad el Shami, a Yemeni staff member of its human rights office, died while in Houthi custody after being held for more than two years, and it called for an independent investigation into his death and the release of other detained staff.
El Shami had been detained by Houthi de facto authorities since June 6, 2024, according to the United Nations. His family was told of his death only recently, more than a month after it occurred, and had received no explanation of the cause or the circumstances, according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was appalled by the death and condemned it, according to a statement from his spokesperson. The statement said that since el Shami’s detention in June 2024, the Houthi authorities had provided neither information about his well-being nor proof of life, despite repeated requests from the United Nations.
El Shami worked for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. His death was the second death of a United Nations staff member in Houthi detention, following the death of a World Food Programme colleague in February 2025, according to the Secretary-General’s statement.
What the UN is asking for
Turk called for a prompt, independent, and thorough investigation, and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all other UN personnel under Houthi detention. Those still held include seven staff members from his office, along with humanitarian workers and civil society members, according to Sky News.
The Secretary-General called for an immediate, impartial, transparent, and thorough investigation, and said the United Nations is urgently seeking answers from the de facto authorities about the circumstances of the death. He also expressed concern for 70 United Nations personnel, five former UN staff members, and personnel from humanitarian and civil society organizations who remain detained, and repeated his call for their immediate and unconditional release.
Yemen’s prime minister condemned the death and said he held the Houthis fully responsible, according to Sky News. The prime minister said more than 70 UN employees and dozens of humanitarian workers are still being detained, Sky News reported.
How the detention began
The Houthis have said that people being held were part of a spy network working for the United States and Israel, according to Sky News. The group has also accused humanitarian organizations of using their work as a cover for intelligence activities, without providing evidence, Sky News reported.
The Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, setting off a Saudi-led military intervention in 2015 in support of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, according to Sky News. The conflict has since divided the country, with the Houthis holding Sanaa and much of the north and northwest, while government-aligned forces control much of the south and east.
Reporting based on coverage by Sky News and the United Nations.
