Saddam Al-Ashmouri For Yemen Times
SANA’A, Dec. 8 — Last week, the Yemeni Parliament agreed to rescind Parliament member (MP) Ahmed Saif Hashid’s immunity, claiming that Hashid paid visits to prisons and revealed illegal actions that go against the constitution, Yemeni laws and international conventions.
Previous activities made by Hashid resulted in his arrest in the political security prison, followed by imprisonment under the Immigration and Passports Authority. Hashid’s chauffeur was also killed in the street, with his camera and cell phone confiscated. Referring to these incidents, Hashid asked, “What kind of immunity are they talking about?”
Many MPs affiliated with the ruling party (GPC) demanded last week to rescind Hashid’s immunity. The parliament agreed to do so.
Hashid considered the revoking of his immunity by Parliament an action targeting him and his human rights activities.
Jane Novak, an American researcher, interviewed Hashid, addressing issues related to human rights, freedom, prisons, and inmates in Yemen. The interview was downloaded onto many news websites, enraging a lot of people.
One of the opposition newspapers re-published the interview, entitled, “Secession is coming, no way out”, according to Hashid. He made his stance clear, stating that he has nothing to do with secession. “The newspaper made up a title while the original text was distributed to my associates,” he claimed, adding, “I am with the unification of May 22nd, 1990, maintaining solidarity with retirees, and I am against any injustice, wherever it is.”
He went on to say that he has never made a request to rescind any MP’s immunity based on differences of opinion. Previously he urged judiciary to rescind the immunity of some MPs, but the issue has not been discussed for two years.
http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1110&p=local&a=3
Yemeni MP Ahmed Saif Hashed: Human rights in Yemen are totally absent
Interview by Jane Novak