A Yemeni UN staff member died in Houthi custody after more than two years of arbitrary detention, the United Nations said on October 31. The UN identified him as Mohammad el Shami, an employee of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and called for an immediate investigation.
El Shami was detained on June 6, 2024, according to a statement from the UN secretary-general’s spokesperson. The statement called for an investigation that is “immediate, impartial, transparent and thorough.”
The UN said the circumstances of his death remain unclear. It has not publicly stated when he died or what caused his death. Reuters reported that his family was notified more than a month afterward, without receiving an explanation of the cause or circumstances.
UN says 70 staff members remain detained
The UN said 70 of its current employees, along with five former employees and other humanitarian and civil society workers, remained in detention. It called for their immediate and unconditional release.
El Shami’s death is the second reported death of a UN employee in Houthi custody, following the death of a World Food Programme staff member in February 2025, the UN said. The call for an investigation does not establish that one has begun.
Nicole French