GENEVA

The UN human rights chief on Tuesday urged Yemen’s de facto authorities to immediately and unconditionally release UN staff members who have been detained for years, warning that their safety and well-being are at serious risk.

Volker Turk said in a statement that one of his colleagues, arbitrarily detained since November 2021, was recently presented before a so-called Special Criminal Court on "fabricated charges of espionage connected to his work."

"This is totally unacceptable and a grave human rights violation," he said.

Turk said the colleague is among dozens of UN and humanitarian staff held by the authorities while carrying out their duties to support the people of Yemen.

"Our colleagues, 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," he said. He noted that his office has also received "very concerning reports of mistreatment of numerous staff in detention."

"Their suffering, and that of their families, has gone on far too long," he said.

Turk urged authorities to "respect the privileges and immunities of the UN and its staff, and to facilitate our humanitarian and life-saving work in support of the Yemeni people and their human rights."