Al-Sahwa [Archives:2008/1210/Press Review]

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008
Top Stories

-JMP warns authority against practicing policy of crackdown and escalating tension

-Taiz-based JMP Branch: The government endorses voter register with blood, crackdown and terrorism

-Thousands of Yemeni citizens boycott voter registration process

A Huge rally was held on Tuesday in Hamadan district of Sana'a province calling for holding free and fair elections which could serve well the nation, underlining that reforming the election system is key to carrying out comprehensive political reforms, the website reported in its lead story. The protestors further called all citizens to stand by the opposition and boycott the registration process through which the authorities are seeking to rig the upcoming elections.

According to the website, government security forces have staged several arrest campaigns against opposition activists over boycotting the voter registration procedures, which Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), also known as the main opposition coalition in the country, labels as illegitimate.

The website went on to say that security forces arrested on Tuesday dozens of demonstrators using live bullets to disperse them and setting up new checkpoints to prevent protests.

The opposition coalition denounced those acts describing them as arbitrary and in the meantime calling on its supporters to go on their peaceful struggle.

JMP Branch of Sharab district in Taiz governorate held a massive march which roamed the constituency's election centers, expressing strong rejection of manipulating electoral lists by the authorities.
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