Ansar Allah (Houthis) have imprisoned 73 UN staff members, among other humanitarian workers and civil society representatives.

Omissions

• All 73 detained UN staff are Yemeni nationals, a detail that qualifies the picture of 'UN staff' as international personnel.
• The accurate legal/technical characterisation used by the UN, OHCHR, HRW and Amnesty is 'arbitrarily detained' and, since 2026, some have been 'prosecuted' by Huthi judicial bodies — 'imprisoned' is a reasonable but slightly stronger shorthand.
• The figure of 73 refers to those still in detention as of February 2026 and is repeated in October 2026 sources; the total number arrested since 2021 is higher because some were released (e.g. a staff member of the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen was released).

Sources

• PrimaryUN News — UN chief calls for immediate release of 118 detained UN staffIn Yemen alone, 73 UN staff remain detained by the de facto Houthi authorities, including eight from the UN's human rights office.
• PrimaryOHCHR — The unwavering duty to protect humanitarian workers and civilians (World Humanitarian Day)The High Commissioner made an immediate call for the release of 73 UN Staff unlawfully detained, some for several years, in Yemen by the de facto authorities.
• SecondarySecurity Council Report — Yemen, October 2026 Monthly Forecast...73 UN staff members who remain arbitrarily detained by the Houthis.
• SecondaryHuman Rights Watch — Yemen: Houthis Should Free UN, Civil Society StaffAs of February 2026, 73 UN staff and dozens of other humanitarian workers remained in Houthi detention, all of them Yemeni nationals.
• SecondaryAmnesty International — Yemen: Huthis Prosecute UN, Civil Society StaffAs of February 2026, at least 73 UN staff and dozens of humanitarian and civil society workers remained in Huthi detention, all of them Yemeni nationals.