40 UN Member States Demand Immediately Release And Without Conditions Staff Detained In Yemen

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JAKARTA - Britain's envoy to the United Nations said its country and 39 other UN member states demanded the release of "immediately and unconditionally" UN staff detained by the Houthis group. "We strongly condemn the latest detention by the Houthis since June 7 against UN personnel and staff working for or previously working for international and national non-governmental organizations, as well as diplomatic missions," said Barbara Woodward in a press conference quoted by Anadolu via Antara, Friday, June 14. Woodward urged the Houthis to ensure the safety and security of UN humanitarian personnel and personnel. "We are deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen and underline the importance of unobstructed access for humanitarian workers to civilians," he continued. He argued that the groups of these countries were also "deeply concerned" by the risk of delivering humanitarian aid deemed important. Their demands to respect international humanitarian law relate to "safe, fast and unrestricted" access to all humanitarian workers to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable people in Yemen. These countries reaffirm their "strong commitment" to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and integrity of Yemen's territory, as well as their commitment to support the Yemeni people. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Thursday said last week 13 UN personnel, in addition to five members of international NGO staff and many more from national NGOs and civil society, were arbitrarily detained by the group Ansar Allah. "We urge Ansar Allah to respect the rights of Yemeni citizens based on international law and the release of all UN and NGO personnel immediately and unconditionally, and not to arbitrarily detain civilians," said Grundberg. Yemen has been plagued by acts of violence and chaos since 2014, when the Houthi rebels took control of much of the country's territory, including the capital Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 as a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating airstrike to defeat the Houthis. Tens of thousands of Yemeni, including many civilians, are believed to have died in the conflict, while 14 are also at risk of starvation, according to the United Nations.