Yemen discusses law on demonstrations

The committee on public freedom and rights in the Yemen Council of Deputies, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed Nagy El-Shaef, is to continue discussing a draft law regulating demonstrations, marches and public assemblies, which the government submitted to the council to discuss and vote on.

The draft law was strongly opposed by political parties and organizations in the Yemeni opposition, who considered the law a breach of the constitution and the political parties law as well as a decrease in the democratic rights of both political parties and citizens.

The draft law is comprised of 25 subjects concerning the rights of parties, organizations and syndicates to organize marches and peaceful demonstrations. It calls for those who want to organize a demonstration or march to form a committee assuming the authority and to allow enough time to receive approval for the march from specialized organizations. In the case that there is no response within a week, the demand would be considered rejected.

Yemeni parliamentary sources said the committee has unanimously decided to hear the opinions of political parties and social personalities during a series of meetings that are to begin on Saturday.