Yemeni Foreign Minister Jamal Amer has sent urgent letters to UN officials—including High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, Human Rights Council President Jörg Lauber, and IOM Director-General Amy Pope—calling for immediate action on the dire humanitarian and legal situation of thousands of Yemeni expatriates detained in Saudi Arabia.

The letters stress Yemen’s ongoing conflict and blockade have severely impacted its diaspora, with numerous documented reports of serious human rights violations. These include arbitrary detentions without clear charges or timely trials, extended incarceration beyond completed sentences, and administrative obstacles related to deportation or absence of sponsorship.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, remain unlawfully imprisoned despite serving full sentences, worsening humanitarian and economic hardships. Yemeni diplomatic missions report limited detainee access, hindering consular and legal support, thus violating internationally guaranteed rights.

Minister Amer condemned these violations as breaches of fundamental human rights and international law, urging UN bodies to pressure Saudi authorities to release detainees held arbitrarily or post-sentence, ensure detainees’ legal and consular rights, and guarantee humane treatment.

He also requested UN assessment teams conduct field visits to Saudi detention centers to evaluate conditions and recommend protections for Yemeni detainees.