The Unraveling of Yemen’s Fragile Peace

Distr.: General | February 26, 2026 Sixty-first session | Agenda item 21

I. Introduction

1. This report details the severe deterioration of the human rights situation in Yemen as of early 2026. While a tenuous military de-escalation persisted through much of 2025, the start of 2026 has seen this calm unravel due to internal political fracturing, continued arbitrary detentions, and a near-total collapse of the healthcare system.

2. The humanitarian footprint in Yemen is shrinking at a time when 23.1 million people—approximately 65% of the population—now require life-saving assistance.

II. Findings on Repression and Humanitarian Obstruction

3. Mass Detention of Humanitarian Staff: Since May 2024, the Houthi de facto authorities have engaged in an unprecedented crackdown, arbitrarily detaining and forcibly disappearing dozens of UN and NGO personnel. As of February 2026, many remain incommunicado, facing accusations of "espionage" that have paralyzed aid delivery in the most populous regions.

4. Economic Warfare: Political disputes over the Central Bank and a severe liquidity crisis have led to the non-payment of public salaries for years. The "starvation of the economy" has pushed 18 million people into acute food insecurity this month.

5. Border Violence: Credible reports continue to document the use of explosive weapons and small arms by Saudi border guards against Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers attempting to cross from Yemen, resulting in hundreds of fatalities in "killing zones" near the border.

6. Health System Collapse: Over 450 health facilities have closed due to funding shortfalls and security restrictions. Millions of children are now vulnerable to preventable outbreaks of measles, cholera, and polio.

III. Legal Analysis: The Denial of Due Process

7. All warring parties in Yemen—the Houthis, the internationally recognized government, and UAE-backed forces—have been implicated in the use of unofficial prison sites and the torture of detainees.

8. The referral of humanitarian workers to "special criminal courts" without access to legal counsel constitutes a grave breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

IV. Legal Recommendations

• Immediate Rescission of Court Referrals: Demand that the Houthi authorities immediately cease the prosecution of aid workers and civil society staff in special security courts.

• Establishment of an Independent Investigative Body: Given the failure of domestic accountability, the UN must establish a renewed international mechanism to document crimes by all parties, specifically focusing on border killings and the torture of journalists.

• Shielding of Economic Institutions: Create a legal "neutrality pact" for the Central Bank of Yemen to ensure the payment of public sector salaries, independent of political or military shifts.

• Enforcement of Migrant Protections: Urge the UN to formally investigate the "systemic killings" at the Yemen-Saudi border as potential crimes against humanity, requiring an immediate halt to the use of lethal force against unarmed migrants.