Al-Sahwa [Archives:2008/1146/Press Review]
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Top Stories
– Yemen receives as many as 157 trafficked children from Saudi authorities
– JMP caucuses announce collective boycotting of President's meeting, protesting against NDC's decisions
– Judiciary investigates 13 prosecutors for founding a judicial league
– Ruling party's local councilors in Shabwa distribute donated cares among them
– Court assigns Saturday for ruling on Al-Wasat weekly's issue
– Activists, journalists lash at authorities for not releasing political detainees
Yemen Human Rights Observatory (YHRO), a local organization, called for Yemeni authorities to immediately free all political prisoners, stressing the necessity of conducting a fair and all-out investigation on violations and human rights abuses practiced against the inmates, the weekly reported. It added that YHRO urged all local and international human rights organizations to press on Yemeni government to stop such abuses.
The human rights organization inquired about the fate of top opposition leaders among them Ali Monasar and Hassan BaAum and Yahya Al-Shoaibi along with the well-known activists Ahmed Bin Frid and Ali Al-Gharib.
According to the weekly, Hundreds of journalists held a sit-in on Tuesday in Sana'a, demanding the authorities to free all political prisoners seized in various security and military jails, along with a well-known comedian Fahd Al-Qarni. The protestors released a statement, denouncing threats practiced against women journalists including Tawakal Karman and Nabila Al-Hakim.
The statement also advised Yemeni authorities to end their repressions and remain committed to the Constitution and Law. The protestors affirmed that they would go on their protests until all prisoners are freed. Mohammad Al-Harbi, a senior JMP leader, gave a speech during the event, accusing the government of being unable to lead the nation. He commented that the Yemeni government behaves in a way endangering the national unity.
The authorities have arrested several party members, dozens of protestors and deployed armored vehicles in several parts of the southern provinces to restore order. In recent months, protests spearheaded by former soldiers demanding pension rights have met a tough response from the security forces, and several people have been killed or wounded.
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