Other UN agencies, the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Program, the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international organizations, including Save the Children, CARE International, etc., have issued a joint statement on the situation in Yemen. Concerns have been expressed.
Top officials said that at a time when these employees were expected to be released, this new development in the criminal case came as a shock.
He said, these allegations against these colleagues are not acceptable. He has already been kept incommunicado for a long time and the situation is likely to worsen.
Heads of international organizations stressed that criminal cases against workers raised concerns about their safety and well-being.
Six employees of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights were detained by the Yemeni regime in June, along with seven other UN staff.
At the same time, two employees of the UN Human Rights Office and two colleagues from other agencies have been held incommunicado until 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Apart from them, employees of international NGOs, civil society organizations and diplomatic missions have also been arbitrarily detained.
Aid workers demand protection
Top officials have warned that targeting humanitarian aid workers is preventing the delivery of vital aid to millions of people.
He said the targeting of humanitarians in Yemen must stop and the arbitrary detention, intimidation, ill-treatment and false accusations must stop. Also, the immediate release of all those detained has been requested.
The joint statement said that the United Nations and international organizations are working together in every way to ensure the release of the detainees.
Serious humanitarian crisis
Yemen is currently facing one of the most challenging crises in the world. Due to years of violent conflict, almost half of the country’s population is in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.
1.76 crore people are suffering from severe hunger, including 24 lakh children, 12 lakh pregnant and lactating women, who are themselves malnourished.
Cholera and other deadly diseases are spreading and the crisis is compounded by the unavailability of water, health and sanitation services.