Thousands of Yemenis protest killing of Houthis

PressTV
June 20, 2013

Anti-government protesters shout slogans during a rally in Sana’a, Yemen. (File photo)

Thousands of Houthi demonstrators have once again taken to the streets in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a to condemn the killing of more than a dozen of Shia Muslims by government forces, Press TV reports.

The protesters chanted on Thursday slogans in condemnation of Yemen’s National Security Intelligence Agency, calling for the suspension of the activities of the agency.

“The nation wants the dismantling of the National Security Intelligence Agency!” they shouted.

The demonstrators also called on the country’s authorities to prosecute those responsible for the latest murders of Houthi protesters.

On Sunday, a large number of the protesters gathered outside Yemen’s National Security Intelligence Agency headquarters in Sana’a under a rally called “Loyalty to the Blood of Our Martyrs.”

On June 9, Yemeni forces killed 13 Shia Houthi protesters and wounded 100 others during a demonstration outside the agency’s headquarters.

Human Rights Watch has demanded an investigation into the killings.

Yemen’s Zaidi population, also known as Houthis, have long been protesting about oppression and discrimination by Yemen’s Saudi-backed government.

Yemen’s Shia Houthi movement draws its name from the tribe of its founding leader Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi.

MP/KA/HMV