Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Yemen calls emergency meeting ahead of protests


Observed by: Mr. Alaa Isam

Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh has called for an emergency parliamentary meeting Wednesday ahead of the "day of rage" protests scheduled for the following day, according to the country's official news agency, SABA.

In recent weeks, thousands of people have taken to the streets in Yemen demanding the kind of change that forced Tunisia's president from office last month.

Some of the protesters have called for Saleh to step down as president.

Earlier this year, Yemen's parliament began debating proposed amendments to the country's constitution. The measures, which would cancel presidential term limits, have sparked concerns among the opposition that Saleh might try to appoint himself president for life.

Saleh has been in office for 32 years and was last re-elected in 2006.

Separately, the president has also ordered the release of journalist Abdul Elah Haidar Shaye who was sentenced to five years in jail last month after he was convicted of collaborating with al Qaeda in Yemen, the news agency reported.

Source: http://bit.ly/i6mxfJ

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