UN worker dies in Houthi custody, family told more than a month later

New Delhi: A Yemeni employee of the United Nations human rights office has died in Houthi custody after more than two years in detention, prompting demands for an independent investigation and the release of other detained aid personnel. Announcing the death on Saturday, the UN said Mohammad el Shami’s family had learned of his death only recently, more than a month after it occurred, and had received no explanation of the circumstances.

Shami had been held since June 6, 2024, in detention the UN described as arbitrary. His death is the second involving a UN employee in Houthi custody, following that of a World Food Programme (WFP) staff member in February 2025.

The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, condemned the death and renewed his demand for the immediate and unconditional release of detained UN personnel, former employees and workers from humanitarian and civil society organizations. In a response reported on Sunday, he expressed concern for those still being held by the Iran-backed group.

Medical and detention records sought

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, demanded an urgent, independent and thorough inquiry, including access to Shami’s medical and detention records. He also called for evidence to be preserved and any explanation of the cause of death to undergo independent scrutiny, according to the statement issued by his office.

Türk said seven other employees of his office remained detained, alongside personnel from other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations. Pending their release, he urged the Houthi authorities to provide medical care, allow contact with families and grant the UN access to those in custody.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government separately demanded that Shami’s body be returned to his relatives. In a statement carried by the government news agency, Saba, the human rights minister, Mashdel Omar, said the family had been denied visits and communication during his detention, and that his remains had not been handed over.

Omar held the Houthis responsible for Shami’s detention and death, while acknowledging that the circumstances remained unknown. He called for stronger measures to secure the release of those still held and accountability for anyone responsible for wrongdoing.

Dozens remain detained

There was no immediate Houthi response to the announcement, according to Reuters. The group has accused detained personnel of belonging to a US-Israeli espionage network and alleged that humanitarian organizations were providing cover for intelligence activities, without supplying evidence to substantiate those allegations.

A UN News report said the organization had reported 71 of its personnel in Houthi detention as of mid-October. That dated figure should not be read as a revised total following the announcement of Shami’s death.

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, had warned the United Nations Security Council on October 9 that many detainees were suffering from serious health problems. Shami was reportedly among 13 UN employees seized during a wave of Houthi raids in June 2024.

Detentions threaten humanitarian work

The earlier death involved a WFP employee who died on February 10, 2025, after being detained on January 23, according to the UN secretary general’s statement. The detention campaign also forced UN agencies to suspend operations in the northern governorate of Saada in February 2025, illustrating how threats to staff can restrict assistance to vulnerable communities.

The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, triggering a Saudi-led military intervention the following year in support of the internationally recognized government. The country remains divided, with the Houthis controlling Sanaa and much of the north and northwest, while government-aligned forces hold much of the south and east.

The latest death comes as humanitarian needs remain acute, with the UN aid coordination office estimating that more than 22 million people require assistance this year. Türk warned that the continuing detentions were undermining the UN’s ability to operate in Houthi-controlled areas and support Yemenis through the country’s humanitarian and human rights crisis.