Opposition rally fails in Aden

The opposition parties have failed to hold large-scale protests against the government in Aden yesterday. They claimed that the police in Aden had arrested 80 of the participants on dubious charges of disturbing the peace.

A source in the JMP claimed that the security forces arrested 80 people including 4 journalists, adding that the Aden JMP leader is now being pursued by police.

However, Aden’s police chief, Brigadier-General Abdullah Gairan denied the arrests, saying only that a limited number of people who were trying to arrange riots and subversive actions during the unlicensed rallies were arrested. He added that the rallies failed for lack of support by the people of Aden. 

Brigadier-General Gairan said that the number of those arrested was limited – he declined to mention numbers – and they were all from outside the governorate. He said that they had no identification when they were found in hotels, along with those who tried to incite riots. However he said that they will be released later.
 
He pointed out that the heavy security deployments in Aden had been in anticipated of unrest from the rally. He said that the conditions are calm and there was only a small gathering of people who demonstrated in Sheikh Osman directorate, and they dispersed when they found no response.
 
The opposition party’s coordination committee in Aden said that they ordered their members to disperse to avoid clashes with the security forces, following the arrest campaign, which was followed by intensive security deployment at al-Hashimi Square. 

There were security deployments in Aden governorate on the cross roads, for expectation of riots at the political organizations’ rally, yet al-Hashimi square witnessed exceptionally dense deployment.
 
The ministry of interior called for people to respect the law and warned against using the democratic climate for conducting illegal rallies by anarchists who aim at destabilizing social security and disrupting the public interest. 

General Saleh Hussein al-Zoari, the Deputy Minister of Interior, said that the ministry’s directions are to prevent any unlicensed rallies, sit-ins or functions. The General added in a statement that any rioters who are suspected of inciting unlawful actions will be arrested and prosecuted. 

Al-Zoari ensured the sacredness of July 7 1994 and its anniversaries, which incorporates the unity of 22 May, and which put and end to Yemeni separation. 

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