UN Chief Calls for Release of 118 Detained Staff as Arrests Surge

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has demanded the immediate release of 118 UN personnel currently held in detention worldwide, as attacks against the organization continue to rise.

In a statement marking the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, Guterres revealed that 179 UN staff were arrested or detained in 2025 alone a sharp increase from the 52 recorded in March of the same year.

“No colleague is forgotten,” the UN chief said, urging member states to uphold international law and ensure safe, unimpeded humanitarian operations.

Yemen accounts for the largest number of cases, with 73 UN staff still held by the de facto Houthi authorities. Among them are eight employees of the UN human rights office.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described the situation as intolerable, noting that some detainees have been deprived of their liberty for up to five years. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN staff in Yemen, stressing that “under no circumstances can UN personnel be detained … for undertaking their vital work on behalf of the Yemeni people.”

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock warned that such detentions violate fundamental human rights, international law, and diplomatic immunities, while also delaying lifesaving assistance to millions.

The UN operates in some of the world’s most dangerous regions, including Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The International Day of Solidarity marks the 1985 abduction of Alec Collett, a UNRWA journalist whose body was found in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in 2009. The day aims to mobilize action, demand justice, and strengthen protection for UN staff, peacekeepers, and humanitarian workers.