The United States on Wednesday condemned the ongoing detention of current and former local staffers of the US embassy in Yemen by the Houthis.
"The United States condemns the Houthis' ongoing unlawful detention of current and former local staff of the US Mission to Yemen," US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
"The Houthis' arrests of those staff, and the sham proceedings that have been brought against them, are further evidence that the Houthis rely on the use of terror against their own people as a way to stay in power," Pigott said.
UN chief condemns Houthi referral of some detained UN staff to court
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns a referral by Yemen's Houthis of some of the dozens of UN staff they have detained to a special criminal court, his spokesperson said on Tuesday.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the Houthis have arbitrarily detained 59 Yemeni UN personnel, who have been held "incommunicado - some for years - without any due process, in violation of international law."
"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," Dujarric said.