UN Secretary-General Guterres condemns death of staff member in Houthi detention — Anadolu Agency

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was shocked by the death of Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shami, an employee of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who was held by the Houthis in Yemen. According to Anadolu Agency, al-Shami had been detained since June 6, 2024.

UN Secretary-General's statement

In a statement published on Saturday on the social network X, Guterres stressed that al-Shami was the second UN staff member to die in Houthi detention. The Secretary-General also expressed serious concern over the safety and well-being of UN staff and former staff, as well as representatives of humanitarian and civil society organizations who remain detained.

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Second death in custody

The first UN employee to die in Houthi detention was Ahmed Baalawi, a national staff member of the World Food Programme. He had been held by local authorities in northern Yemen since January 23, 2025, and died on February 11 of the same year.

The conflict in Yemen has continued since 2014, when Houthi forces seized the capital, Sanaa. In March 2015, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition began military intervention in support of the country's internationally recognized government. Due to the conflict, millions of people in Yemen depend on humanitarian assistance.