Abu Dhabi: United Nations Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has once again urged the Houthi group in Yemen to immediately and unconditionally release dozens of UN, humanitarian, and diplomatic personnel who have been arbitrarily detained since 2021 and 2023.
According to Emirates News Agency, in a statement marking one year since the detention of some of the staff and coinciding with the upcoming Eid Al Adha, Guterres reiterated his strong condemnation of the death of a World Food Programme employee while in Houthi custody earlier this year. He called for a prompt and transparent investigation and accountability for those responsible, noting that the Houthis have yet to provide any explanation regarding the incident.
The Secretary-General described the ongoing detentions as a 'grave injustice' that hinders the organisation's ability to operate effectively and undermines peace efforts. He assured the detainees that 'they are not forgotten.'
Guterres also urged UN member states to intensify their efforts to secure the release of the detained staff.