Yemen’s foreign minister demands accountability for UN worker’s death in Houthi custody

Yemen's Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba has demanded that the Houthis be held accountable for the death of UN human rights worker Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shami, who was held captive in the group's custody for over two years. In a post on X, Zouba described al-Shami's death as a "horrific crime" for which the militia is fully responsible and called for decisive international action against those responsible.

Zouba emphasized that al-Shami's tragedy did not begin with his death, but with his abduction in June 2024, his enforced disappearance, and the denial of his family's ability to communicate with him or know his fate. She urged the United Nations and its Security Council to pressure the Houthis to release all "abductees." Zouba expressed her condolences to al-Shami's family and fellow colleagues, offering her prayers for them to find patience and strength.

She noted that al-Shami was not the first victim of the Houthis' abuses - two other employees of the World Food Programme and UNICEF died while in the militia's custody, and this cycle of condemnation without action continues. Zouba questioned how long such impunity can persist, and called for the release of detained Yemeni workers - a demand that should not be met with partiality or delay, as the value of human life is equal regardless of one's nationality or employer.

She stressed that only with the implementation of this principle can the international community's credibility be measured. The family of al-Shami has the right to know the truth through an independent investigation, which would be granted access to his detention records and medical files, identifying the responsible parties. The rights of all remaining abductees to freedom should not await the outcome of any investigation.

The report calls on the United Nations and its Security Council to take immediate and unconditional measures to ensure the release of all abductees, including UN staff, humanitarian organizations, civil society members, and local personnel in diplomatic missions, ensuring their safety and connection with their families, and revealing the fate of those held captive.