YEMEN: INVESTIGATE DEATH IN CUSTODY OF ARBITRARILY DETAINED UN AID WORKER

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

The Huthi de-facto authorities must urgently investigate the death in custody of a UN humanitarian worker with the World Food Programme (WFP), who had been arbitrarily detained since 23 January 2025 and was held at a Huthi-run detention centre in northern Yemen, said Amnesty International today. The name of the staff member has not been officially released.

“The news that a UN humanitarian worker 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.

“The Huthi de facto authorities 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.

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.

Diala Haidar, Amnesty International

“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. The de facto Huthi authorities must 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.”

Background

In response to the latest arrests, in January 2025 the UN announced suspension of all official movements into and within areas under the Huthis’ control. On 10 February, the UN suspended all its activities in Sa’ada, where six of its humanitarian workers were arbitrarily detained in January. These decisions will severely impact the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to millions.

Huthi authorities have targeted human rights and humanitarian workers before. Four Yemeni UN staff members from OHCHR and UNESCO arrested in 2021 and 2023 remain arbitrarily detained and have been held incommunicado since their arrest. In September 2023, Huthis arrested Hisham Al-Hakimi, the Safety and Security Director at Save the Children, and held him incommunicado.  He died on 25 October 2023 while he was still arbitrarily detained.