Update on the UN Staff Condemned to Death in Houthi areas of Yemen : Shared by Tom McDermott

According to news reports today the number of UN staff reported to have been condemned to death has risen from 11 to 18.  The court has ordered them to be executed by firing squad in a public place. It is not clear whether an appeal will be attempted.    

Tom

Key Details:

On Saturday, November 23, a Houthi-controlled court in Sanaa sentenced 18 Yemeni UN aid workers to death by firing squad in a public place on charges of spying for Israel, the United States, Britain, and Saudi Arabia. Two additional defendants received 10-year prison sentences.

The Charges:

The court accused the workers of providing information on Houthi leaders' locations and movements, political and military secrets, and missile launch sites and storage facilities. They allegedly recruited citizens, installed surveillance cameras, and received payments for their activities.

Background Context:

The arrests followed Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa in August 2025 that killed senior Houthi figures, including 12 self-declared ministers and military chief of staff Mohammed Abdulkarim al-Ghamari. After these strikes, Houthi forces stormed UN offices and detained dozens of Yemeni employees.

Last week, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV aired footage of the detainees delivering what the Houthis called "confessions."

UN Response:

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the Houthis, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN aid workers, and warned that obstructing humanitarian relief in Yemen puts millions at risk of famine.

The UN fiercely denies the espionage accusations, and the Houthis have repeatedly alleged these charges without evidence.

Broader Pattern:

As of October, the Houthis were holding 54 UN personnel detained since 2021, along with staff from international and national NGOs, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions—all Yemeni nationals.

The sentences can theoretically be appealed, but this represents a serious escalation in the Houthis' yearslong crackdown on humanitarian workers in areas under their control.