Yemeni People demands Saleh returns from US for trial

A news blackout on the stay of Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh in the US continues amid protests in the Middle Eastern country demanding his return for trial, Press TV reports.

The US government claims that Saleh is in New York for medical treatment, but he has said his trip to the US was meant to avoid media attention.

Meanwhile, Yemeni protesters continue to call for his trial over the killing of hundreds of anti-government protesters at the hands of his regime forces during the country’s revolution.

Yemeni protesters on Saturday condemned Washington for providing Saleh with a safe haven and urged the US to arrest the dictator.

The protesters say the US was the key player in the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council initiative, which guaranteed Saleh immunity from prosecution in return for stepping down. The measure was approved in Yemen’s parliament in January.

Last week, Yemen’s Vice President Mansour Hadi announced that he will run for president as the only candidate for the February 21 presidential election.

Demonstrations are expected to continue in Yemen as the protesters say their revolution will not end until Saleh and all corrupted government officials are put behind bars.

Saleh ruled the impoverished Arab state for more than 33 years.