UN Demands Houthi Release of Staffer's Body, Investigation

The United Nations has urgently demanded that the Houthi militia release the body of its staff member, Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Shami, to his family without delay, and has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death while in detention.

Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated during a daily press briefing on Thursday, November 13, that the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for Al-Shami's remains to be returned to his family. This demand comes nearly two weeks after the organization confirmed knowledge of his death in a Houthi detention facility.

Haq added that Türk has urged the militia to take immediate action to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death and ensure accountability. He reiterated the call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff and humanitarian workers currently detained by the group.

Previously, on October 31, Türk had revealed that Al-Shami, an employee of the UN Human Rights Office, had died in a Houthi detention center in Sana'a more than a month prior. Al-Shami had been arbitrarily arrested on June 6, 2024, and his family was reportedly not informed of his death until some time after the event, without clarification on the cause or conditions of his demise.

The family of Al-Shami had appealed on October 18 to the United Nations and human rights organizations for intervention to ascertain his fate and whereabouts, having lost contact since his arrest and being unaware of his death.

The High Commissioner has requested an independent and transparent investigation into the incident, demanding access to medical and detention records, and the preservation of evidence related to Al-Shami's death. The UN had warned on November 6 that the circumstances surrounding the death raise serious concerns about the possibility of mistreatment or denial of necessary medical care.

Al-Shami's death marks the second reported fatality of a UN staff member while in Houthi custody. The first was Ahmed Ba'alawi, a World Food Programme staffer, who died in a militia detention facility in Sa'ada Governorate in February 2025.

The Houthi militia continues to detain over 70 UN staff members, along with workers from humanitarian organizations and civil society institutions. These detentions are met with repeated UN calls for their release and growing concerns regarding their safety and the conditions of their confinement.