Guterres warns of rising attacks on UN personnel, with 179 arrests recorded in 2025 and dozens still held in Yemen.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the immediate release of 118 United Nations staff members currently detained across the globe.

The appeal was made in a statement marking the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members.

Guterres noted a troubling rise in attacks against UN personnel, revealing that 179 staff were arrested or detained in 2025—a sharp increase compared to the 52 in detention as of March last year.

He added that 73 UN staff members remain detained by the de facto Houthi authorities in Yemen, including eight personnel from the UN Human Rights Office.

Reaffirming the organisation’s commitment, Guterres stressed that “no colleague is forgotten” and urged member states to uphold international law to guarantee safe and unhindered humanitarian operations.

“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 maintains operations in some of the world’s most volatile regions, including Gaza, Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, also condemned the detentions, stating that such actions violate fundamental human rights, international law and diplomatic immunities, while undermining critical humanitarian efforts.

“UN staff should never be a target. They risk their lives every day to support communities in dire need and uphold the principles of the United Nations,” Baerbock said.

The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members commemorates the abduction of Alec Collett, a former journalist with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), who was kidnapped in 1985. His remains were discovered in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley in 2009.

The observance aims to mobilise global action, demand justice, and strengthen efforts to protect UN personnel, peacekeepers, humanitarian workers, and members of the press operating in high-risk environments.