US State Dept.: Houthi seizure of OHCHR office in Yemen violates int’l norms

WASHINGTON, The US strongly condemned the Houthi seizure of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) headquarters in Sanaa, Yemen, stressing that this takeover violates international norms.

“It further demonstrates that the Houthis have no respect for the most basic international practices,” Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State Vedant Patel said in a press statement on Wednesday.

“This is just one more step in an aggressive series of Houthi actions including detentions of UN, international organization, and diplomatic personnel working to help the Yemeni people,” The statement added.

He pointed out that “these actions will further obstruct the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis who have endured crisis conditions for far too long.” Patel reaffirmed that the US would continue to support a negotiated peace in Yemen under UN auspices, and strongly supports the work of the OHCHR and other agencies and organizations bringing relief to the Yemeni people.

He
stressed that “there can be no sustainable solution to Yemen’s conflict as long as the Houthis insist on attacking international ships and threatening their neighbors and the Yemeni people.”

Source : Kuwait News Agency