Wife Appeals for UN Staffer Held by Houthis for Two Years Amid Health Decline

The wife of a United Nations envoy's office staff member, Sami Lotfi Al-Kalabi, has renewed her appeals for the release of her husband, who has been held captive by Houthi militias in Sanaa for two full years, citing a severe decline in his health.

Huda Al-Ra'di stated that her husband has spent 730 days in detention, enduring immense psychological distress for the family, marked by constant worry and uncertainty about his fate.

She detailed the serious health deterioration her husband has suffered during his captivity. He developed trigeminal neuralgia, a condition affecting the facial nerves, and was later diagnosed with Crohn's disease, an autoimmune disorder impacting the digestive system. His condition further worsened, leading to acute kidney complications that necessitated hospitalization and several days in intensive care.

Al-Kalabi's wife emphasized that the right to healthcare is a fundamental right guaranteed by international laws and cannot be compromised under any circumstances. She asserted that her appeal is purely humanitarian, aimed at ending her family's suffering and clarifying her husband's fate.

Al-Ra'di urged all parties and entities capable of intervention to take swift action to resolve this humanitarian issue, secure her husband's release, and reunite him with his family. Sami Al-Kalabi was reportedly abducted by Houthi militias as part of a wide-ranging campaign that targeted numerous UN personnel and staff from international and local organizations.