UN human rights chief calls on Houthis to return body of Yemeni staff member who died in custody

On Friday, the United Nations' human rights chief, Volker Turk, urged the Houthi group to return the body of a Yemeni staff member who died in their custody more than two years ago. Mohammad el Shami, who had been detained since June 6, 2024, lost his life on October 30, but his family was only informed after the fact and has yet to receive any explanation regarding the cause or circumstances of his death.

The UN official emphasized that his colleague should be given a dignified burial according to his family's wishes, which had been denied contact with him during his detention. Turk's office stated that the Houthi group had agreed in principle to an investigation. However, no immediate comment was made by the Houthi forces, who have previously claimed that those detained were part of a spy network working for the United States and Israel.

Over 70 UN employees and dozens of humanitarian workers are currently held in detention in Yemen. Concerns have been raised that the group may subject them to torture or ill-treatment, as a video circulating recently appeared to show one of them confessing.