Guterres condemns death of UN staff member in Houthi custody
Guterres condemns death of UN staff member in Houthi custody United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he is “appalled” by the death of UN staff member Mohammad el-Shami in Houthi custody in Yemen. A spokesperson for Guterres said the UN chief condemns the death of el-Shami, who worked with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and “calls for an…
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his "appalled" outrage over the death of UN staff member Mohammad el-Shami, who was held in custody by Houthi forces in Yemen. Guterres' spokesperson stated that the UN chief has called for a "prompt, impartial, transparent & thorough investigation" into the circumstances surrounding the "appalling tragedy."
The details of how el-Shami perished remain shrouded in uncertainty, with the UN highlighting that his family was only recently informed of his death, which had been occurring since 6 June 2024. Despite this prolonged captivity, the UN has not received any explanation from the Houthis regarding the cause or circumstances of el-Shami's demise.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described el-Shami's death as "utterly devastating" and urged the Houthis to expedite an investigation. Turk emphasized that el-Shami's family has been left in the dark about the truth of their loved one's fate and has demanded answers.
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- UN demands probe into death of staff member in Houthi custody middleeasteye.net
- UN says Yemeni staff member dies in Houthi custody, demands investigation hindustantimes.com
- UN Human Rights staff member dies in Houthi custody after arbitrary detention of two years jpost.com
- Yemeni foreign minister: Probe underway into alleged Houthi use of toxic gases in Taiz english.ajel.sa
- UN demands investigation into death of staff member in Houthi custody news.sky.com
