GENEVA

The UN human rights office on Tuesday reiterated its concerns over the well-being of 13 UN staffers and some members of non-governmental organizations after their detentions in Yemen. 

"We remain extremely worried about the well-being of 13 UN staff and a number of NGO employees who have been detained for over a month now by the 'Ansar Allah' de facto authorities in Yemen," spokesperson Jeremy Laurence told a press briefing in Geneva.

Laurence stressed that the office continues to be denied access to the detainees.

He added that the office also remains particularly concerned by the situation of two other UN staffers who were already in prolonged detention, one since November 2021 and the other since August 2023.

"We emphatically reject the shocking allegations, publicly broadcast, leveled against our staff, and we urge the de facto authorities in (the capital) Sanaa to immediately and unconditionally release them," he said, referring to claims they were spying for the US and Israel.

Voicing concern over the conditions in which detainees are being held, he said: "It is crucial that the de facto authorities ensure that those detained are treated with full respect for their human rights, and that they are able to contact their families and legal representatives."

"Further targeting of human rights and humanitarian workers in Yemen must cease immediately," he urged.