Yemen.. International agencies and organizations renew their demand for the Houthis to immediately release their employees who have been missing for 100 days

UN and international agencies renewed their demand that the terrorist Houthi militia immediately release their employees who have been missing for 100 days in its prisons in Sana'a.

This came in a joint statement by the regional directors of CARE, Oxfam, Save the Children, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme.

“Today marks 100 days since the de facto authorities in Sana’a (the Houthis) detained more than 50 staff from the United Nations, international and local NGOs, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions,” the organizations said, in addition to four UN staff previously detained in 2021 and 2023.

She added that attacks on humanitarian workers, their detention and false charges against them, violate international law. They also put their safety at risk, and seriously hinder the support we provide to the people of Yemen, and the mediation efforts necessary to advance the peace process in Yemen.

The statement called on the Houthi militia authorities to treat detainees in accordance with international humanitarian law and human rights, including allowing them to communicate with their families, legal representatives and organizations.

The statement by the heads of the nine agencies and organizations stressed the need for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained staff.

The statement also called for "protecting humanitarian workers, ensuring safe humanitarian space for work, and access to the communities we serve."

The statement indicated that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is dire and getting worse, as more than 18 million people, including 14 million women and children, suffer from worsening crises such as food insecurity and malnutrition, epidemics, climate change, displacement, damaged infrastructure, and critical economic conditions.

The United Nations, international NGOs and national partners reaffirmed their commitment to continue providing much-needed humanitarian and development support to millions of Yemenis, despite enormous challenges, including insecurity, concerns about staff safety, declining funding and shrinking humanitarian space, guided by humanitarian principles and respect for Yemeni culture and customs.