Michigan - The American Center for Justice (ACJ) stated that the Houthi group continues to violate the established protection rules for the operations of humanitarian and international organizations. The latest violation was breaking into the office United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, on August 3rd. The ACJ emphasized that the forceful seizure of the office's documents and property constitutes a blatant violation of international law and a direct assault on the UN's ability to carry out its mission to protect and promote human rights in Yemen.

The ACJ noted that this incident is part of a continuous series of violations committed by the Houthi group against UN staff, humanitarian organizations, and civil society.

Since May 31st, the Houthi group has arbitrarily detained employees of UN agencies, international, and local NGOs, which is considered an enforced disappearance of these individuals. These violations come at a time when Yemen is in dire need of humanitarian aid amid worsening crises, which exacerbats the suffering of the civilian population.

The American Center for Justice asserts that these unacceptable practices necessitate a strong international response and calls on the Houthi group to immediately and unconditionally release all detained employees, evacuate the OHCHR office in Sana'a, and return all seized assets and property.

The ACJ also urges the international community to intensify efforts to pressure the Houthis to comply with their obligations under international human rights law, bring those responsible for these violations to justice, and continue to support the UN's efforts to protect human rights in Yemen and ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all those in need.