The United Nations has firmly rejected allegations by Yemen’s Houthi authorities that its staff were involved in espionage, calling the claims “extremely disturbing” and “dangerous.” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Thursday that such accusations were baseless and that “calling UN staff spies or terrorists puts lives at risk and is unacceptable”.
The condemnation comes amid an ongoing wave of Houthi detentions targeting UN and NGO personnel. According to UN reports, at least 53 employees remain arbitrarily detained — some incommunicado since 2021 following a series of raids on UN facilities in Sanaa and Hodeidah.
In recent weeks, Houthi leaders have escalated rhetoric, claiming UN staff engaged in espionage for the United States and Israel after an Israeli airstrike in September killed several senior Houthi officials in Sanaa. The group’s foreign ministry stated that diplomatic immunity “should not shield espionage activity.
Dujarric reiterated that the UN’s mission in Yemen is strictly humanitarian, emphasizing principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. Secretary-General António Guterres renewed calls for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all detained UN and NGO staff.
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