UN demands investigation after staffer’s death in Houthi custody in Yemen

Mohammad el-Shami, an employee of the UN human rights office in Yemen, died in Houthi custody more than a month ago, and his family was only recently informed. High Commissioner Volker Türk called for transparency and an urgent, independent and thorough investigation, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the death and demanded answers. El-Shami had been arbitrarily detained since June 2024 alongside more than 60 others; seven of his OHCHR colleagues remain in custody. He is the second UN staff member to die in Houthi detention, with 72 UN and NGO workers detained in total.