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Protesters stage demos across Yemen

17 November 2011 23:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Yemen’s anti-regime protesters have taken to the streets in several cities, calling for the execution of embattled ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh, APA reports quoting Press TV.

In Sana’a, Yemeni protesters gathered on Thursday outside the residence of UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar to condemn attempts made by (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council to prevent Saleh from standing trial.

The protesters were carrying banners calling for the prosecution of those behind the killing of Yemeni youths. They also vowed that their revolution will continue until the downfall of the regime.

Similar demonstrations were held in other major cites in the country.

On Sunday, Benomar said that the world body would take all necessary measures to get the country out of its months-long political crisis.

The UN envoy, who also met Saleh in Sana’a, said the United Nations is boosting its efforts for a "political change" in Yemen. He said that the UN will consider "the positions of the ruling party, a coalition of opposition parties and the youth protesters.â€

Yemeni demonstrators, however, reject a power transfer deal brokered by Arab leaders that offers Saleh immunity from prosecution in return for his step-down.

They insist that the dictator, who has been in power for the past three decades, and his affiliates must be held accountable for the killing of civilian protesters.

The popular uprising in Yemen erupted early in 2011 inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt in January and February, drawing hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets on an almost daily basis.

Since the revolution began, hundreds of pro-democracy protesters have been killed and thousands more wounded by forces loyal to the Saudi and US backed Saleh.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni people blame Saudi Arabia and the United States for impeding their revolution.