On October 31, local time, UN Secretary General Guterres issued a statement through a press spokesperson, expressing deep shock over the death of UN employee Mohammed Shami while in the custody of the Houthis, and condemned it. Guterres called for an immediate, impartial, transparent, and thorough investigation into his death. In a statement, Guterres expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and their colleagues at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The statement said that following the death of a World Food Programme staff member while in the custody of the Houthis in February 2025, this is yet another UN staff member who died in the custody of the Houthis. All United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers who are still being arbitrarily detained are at serious risk.