UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns the Houthis' referral of UN staff to their special criminal court, his spokesperson said Tuesday.
"The Secretary-General is gravely concerned about the continued arbitrary detention of 59 United Nations personnel, in addition to dozens of NGO (non-governmental organization), civil society, and diplomatic mission personnel," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
The UN personnel have been held incommunicado, some for years, without any due process, in violation of international law, the statement said.
"United Nations personnel, including those who are nationals of Yemen, are immune from legal process in respect of all acts performed by them in their official capacity," it said.
The United Nations calls on the Houthis to rescind the referral and work in good faith toward the immediate release of all detained personnel of the United Nations, NGOs and diplomatic community, it said.
"The United Nations remains committed to supporting the people of Yemen and delivering principled humanitarian assistance," it added.
UN envoy urges restraint amid rising tensions in eastern Yemen
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Tuesday called on all parties to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue, as the Southern Transitional Council's (STC) control of southern and eastern Yemeni provinces escalates tensions with the internationally recognized government.
Grundberg made the remarks during a meeting in Riyadh with Yemeni Foreign Minister Shaya Zindani, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber, UAE Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Zaabi, representatives of the UN Security Council's five permanent members, and other diplomats, the envoy's office said in a statement.
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According to the statement, the meetings focused on the situation in the provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah in eastern Yemen.
Grundberg stressed the importance of maintaining space for Yemeni parties to engage in dialogue to support stability and serve the interests of the Yemeni people, the statement added.
The meeting took place as STC forces seized control of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah -- two provinces long considered relatively stable during Yemen's civil war between the government and the Houthis, who control much of the northern provinces -- further escalating political tensions with the government.
A Yemeni military official told Xinhua that with the takeover of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah, the STC has strengthened its military control over eight southern provinces, including Aden and the island of Socotra.
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) chief Rashad Al-Alimi on Monday warned that the STC's actions undermine state authority and obstruct unified decision-making in security and military institutions.
Tensions escalated on Monday as members of Yemen's cabinet traveled to Saudi Arabia "in protest against the STC's continued military expansion," a government source in Aden said.
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Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces seized Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the government. Formed in 2017, the STC advocates self-rule for southern Yemen and has remained at odds with government institutions, despite joining the PLC in 2022.
