Leaders of United Nations (UN) agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have called for the immediate release of staff members detained by Houthi authorities in Yemen.

Seventeen workers from various UN and NGO groups, along with others associated with local and international organizations, have been detained. The detentions, described as unprecedented, are hindering efforts to provide aid to 18.2 million people in Yemen who need humanitarian assistance and protection.

The UN and NGO leaders are urging the Houthi authorities to reveal the location and conditions of the detained workers and to grant immediate access to them.

International law prohibits arbitrary detention, and humanitarian workers are protected under International Humanitarian Law from harassment, mistreatment, and unlawful detention.

The statement, signed by prominent figures including Achim Steiner of UNDP, Audrey Azoulay of UNESCO, and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of WHO, demands the immediate release of all detained workers and an end to the targeting of humanitarian personnel in Yemen.