The European Union condemns the Houthi militia’s storming of the UN Human Rights Office in Sana’a

The European Union condemned the Houthi militia's storming of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sana'a and looting its contents.

"The Houthis' storming of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights office in Sana'a represents another escalation, following a wave of arrests by the group of UN staff, international and local NGOs and diplomatic missions in Yemen for more than two months," the European Commission spokesman said in a press statement on Wednesday.

The statement added that the European Union fully supports the call of the UN Commissioner, Volker Turk, for the Houthis to "respect the privileges and immunities granted to the United Nations and return the confiscated buildings and equipment."

The European Union stressed the importance of the presence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the ground in Yemen to monitor and report on human rights.

Last Tuesday, the United Nations announced that Houthi militias had stormed and forcibly seized its human rights office in the capital, Sanaa, earlier this month, demanding that they leave the building and return all assets immediately.

“The Houthi de facto authorities sent a ‘delegation’ on 3 August to the OHCHR office in Sana’a, forcing local staff to hand over their property, including documents, furniture and vehicles, as well as the keys to the office,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement published on the UN website.

He added that entering a UN office without authorization and forcibly seizing documents and property are in complete contravention of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, and also constitute a serious assault on the ability of the United Nations to exercise its mandate.

The UN official called on the Houthis to leave the building immediately and return all assets and property, renewing his call for the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees.