YSP calls on authorities to stop targeting its members [Archives:2006/1003/Front Page]
By: Mohammad Al-Jabri
SANA'A, Nov. 29 ) The Yemeni Socialist Party's General Secretariat denounced illegal practices against its members who staged a sit-in Sunday in Aden governorate protesting an attempt to destroy the party's premises in Al-Qallowa district of Aden governorate.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the YSP stated such arbitrary practices are continuation of practices by the state's influential figures to target leaders and activists in the party, with attempts to control the party's properties and documents.
On Monday, security forces in Aden governorate attacked a number of YSP members and activists who staged a sit-in with their backdrop their party's premises under destruction. More than 17 people were reportedly detained and beaten at the site.
“Security forces hit and detained members of the party, including three people who are members in the party's central committee,” said the YSP statement. Security forces beat protestors with the gun butts and cudgels, and then brought them to a local police station.
The general secretariat held authorities responsible to providing protection for its members and take the responsibilities for any attacks they might face. It further renewed its demands for authorities to implement President Saleh's directives to bring back the YSP's properties and documents that have been seized since the secessionist war of 1994.
Sources at the party said the building was destroyed by an influential figure, with protection from security forces, who claimed the building belongs to him. Nasspress website quoted Nadheer Hassan, member of the YSP's Central Committee, saying the detainees were set free after Aden's governor interfered in the case. Hassan noted police refused to deal with the directives of Al-Mina'a Court not to destroy the building until a judicial verdict is issued.
“The building belongs to the YSP according to ownership contracts, and directives of President Saleh and that the party regained it in 1997,” he added.
Hassan also expressed surprise at destruction of the building although the case file is still in justice.
But Aden's Gov. Ahmed Al-Kuhlani denied the detention, saying security forces helped prevent clashes.
“A person has bought a building with official documents and building licenses, but YSP members claim the building to be their property and that was about to cause confrontations between the two sides,” Al-Kuhlani told almotamar.net, the website of the ruling party in Yemen.
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