The storming by the Houthis of the local Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Sanaa constitutes yet another escalation, following the wave of detentions by the Houthis of personnel of the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organisations (INGOs), and diplomatic missions in Yemen more than two months ago.

The European Union fully endorses the call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, to the Houthis to respect the Privileges and Immunities granted to the United Nations, and return the premises, and the equipment seized.  It is of fundamental importance to maintain the human rights monitoring and reporting capacity of the OHCHR field presence in Yemen.