The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called for the immediate release of 118 UN personnel currently detained across different parts of the world.
In a statement issued to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, Guterres said attacks against UN personnel have increased significantly, with 179 staff members arrested or detained in 2025 alone.
The figure represents a sharp rise from the 52 UN personnel who were in detention as of March 2025.
According to the UN chief, 73 staff members remain detained in Yemen by the de facto Houthi movement authorities, including eight officials from the UN’s human rights office.
Guterres stressed that no detained staff member has been forgotten and urged member states to uphold international law and ensure humanitarian workers can carry out their duties safely.
“Today and every day, let’s stand with those who serve humanity, and ensure they are protected and supported as they carry out their essential work,” he said.
The UN currently operates in some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones, including Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Also speaking, Annalena Baerbock said the detention of humanitarian workers violates international law and undermines critical relief efforts.
She noted that the detention of UN personnel delays the delivery of life-saving assistance to millions of vulnerable people around the world.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, also expressed concern over the continued detention of UN workers in Yemen, noting that some have been held for as long as five years.
Türk called on the Houthi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the detained UN staff, stressing that humanitarian workers should never be targeted for carrying out their duties.
The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members marks the anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett, a former journalist working with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Collett was kidnapped by gunmen in 1985, and his remains were later discovered in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in 2009.
The day aims to mobilise global action, demand justice for detained workers, and strengthen efforts to protect humanitarian personnel, peacekeepers, journalists, and aid workers operating in dangerous environments.
