Yemen to sentence 15 former Southern Yemeni officials tomorrow

A Yemeni judicial source said today that Sanaa preliminary court will decide tomorrow on the case of the 15 former Southern Yemen officials.

The accused, including the former secretary-general of the Yemeni Socialist party, are being tried under charges of "greater treason, violating the constitution and committing killing crimes."

In March 1997 the attorney general demanded the death penalty against the 15 accused persons, including former Premier Haidar Abu Bakr al-Attas, former Defense Minister Haitham Qasem Taher, and Vice-President in former Southern Yemen Abdul Rahman al-Jafri.