UN Urges Full Probe Into Yemeni Worker’s Death in Houthi Custody Over Alleged Abuse

NEW YORK: The death of a Yemeni United Nations employee who had been held by the Houthis for more than two years has raised “serious concerns about possible ill‑treatment,” the UN said on Thursday, warning that the case could amount to a serious violation of international law.

Mohammed El‑Shami, who served with the UN Human Rights Office, is the second UN staff member to die while arbitrarily detained by the Iran‑backed Houthi militia in Yemen.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Thursday that the circumstances surrounding his death—including a “prolonged failure” to disclose reliable information about his fate—warranted a thorough investigation.

“Such acts, if established, may constitute serious violations of applicable international law, including international human rights law,” he told reporters.

El‑Shami had been detained by the Houthis since 6 June 2024, and the militia provided no information about his well‑being despite repeated UN requests. His family was informed of his death about a week ago, though they believe he died more than a month earlier. A Yemeni government minister alleged that El‑Shami was tortured to death in a Houthi prison.

On Thursday, Dujarric renewed the UN’s call for a prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigation to establish the precise date, cause and circumstances of his death, the conditions of his detention, and whether he received adequate and timely medical care. The investigation must also explain why his family and the UN were not promptly notified of his death, identify those responsible and hold them to account, he added.

The death raised “grave concerns” about the well‑being of other UN and humanitarian workers who remain in Houthi custody, Dujarric said, “particularly those with serious medical conditions.”

He urged the Houthis to immediately provide verifiable information on the whereabouts and health of all detainees, allow regular contact with their families, and ensure they have access-CONTINUE.

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