UN outrage as staff member dies in Houthi custody
The UN has expressed outrage over the death of a Yemeni staff member in Houthi custody, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemning the killing and the UN human rights chief demanding an urgent, independent investigation. Mohammad El Shami, a Yemeni national who worked for the UN Human Rights Office, had been arbitrarily detained by the Iran-backed Houthis since June 6, 2024. His family…
The United Nations has expressed outrage over the death of a Yemeni staff member, Mohammad El Shami, who died in the custody of the Houthi rebels. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killing and demanded an urgent, independent investigation. Mr. El Shami, a Yemeni national working for the UN Human Rights Office, had been arbitrarily detained since June 2024.
His family was only informed of his death more than a month ago. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the loss as "utterly devastating" and demanded full transparency from the Houthis, including an investigation of the cause and circumstances of his death. The death of Mr. El Shami is the second fatality of a UN employee in Houthi detention, following another UN staff member who died in 2025.
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