UN Rights Chief call for unconditional release of UN staffs in Yemen

GENEVA, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Tuesday urged Houthi authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" release UN staffs detained in Yemen warning that "their safety and well-being are at grave risk".
In a statement issued from Geneva, Turk reported that one of his UN colleagues who has been arbitrarily detained by the de facto authorities in Yemen since November 2021 has been presented before the so-called "Special Criminal Court" in Yemen on fabricated charges of espionage connected to his work saying that "This is totally unacceptable and a grave human rights violation".
He expressed concern over reports of mistreatment of numerous staff in detention noting that this colleague along with dozens of other UN and humanitarian staff have been detained while bravely carrying out their work assisting the people of Yemen and held in intolerable conditions ever since.
Turk called for the respect the privileges and immunities of the UN and its staff and to facilitate the humanitarian and life-saving work in support of the Yemeni people and their human rights. (end) imk.ibi