The Supervisory Committee for the Implementation of the Detainees Agreement concluded its ninth meeting today in the Sultanate of Oman. The committee was chaired by the Office of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and aimed to bring together negotiating delegations from the conflicting parties in Yemen to support the implementation of their commitments to release all detainees in connection with the conflict, in accordance with the Stockholm Agreement and the principle of “all For all.

The negotiations resulted in an important breakthrough as the parties reached an understanding on the release of Muhammad Qahtan, who had been a subject of controversy for years. They also agreed to hold a subsequent meeting to complete the agreement on the names of the detainees who will be released and the arrangements for the release of Mr. Qahtan.

Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, said: “Thousands of Yemenis are waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. Despite positive progress, there is still much more to be done, and at a faster pace, to alleviate the suffering of these families.” Grundberg called on the parties to continue working with his office to complete the plan to implement the understanding they reached, including the names of detainees who will be released, and to agree on further releases. He also thanked the Sultanate of Oman for hosting the meeting, and praised its continued support for UN mediation efforts in Yemen.

Grundberg renewed the United Nations calls on the parties to refrain from arbitrary detention of civilians and to respect the rights of Yemenis under international law. In particular, he reiterated his demand for the immediate and unconditional release of UN staff, aid workers and civil society workers who were arbitrarily detained in Sanaa and remain detained without the ability to communicate with the outside world.

He added: “The United Nations remains committed to this important work to reunite Yemeni families with their loved ones detained in connection with the conflict. As we continue this mission, we must also denounce the arbitrary detention of all civilians and express our regret for the suffering of their families and loved ones. Release them in a timely manner.” Immediate and unconditional is the only acceptable option.”