Yemenis rally demanding UN action against Saleh

Tens of thousands of Yemenis demonstrated on Wednesday in Sanaa, demanding the UN Security Council to take action against President Ali Abdullah Saleh who refuses to quit despite months of protests.

"Tell the international assembly that this is a peaceful revolution being suppressed by a barbaric authority," chanted protesters who rallied in Sittin Street, an AFP correspondent reported.

"O free people of this world, Ali (Abdullah Saleh) should be put on trial," they chanted, demonstrating in a street protected by troops led by dissident General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, away from forces loyal to the embattled president.

A statement issued by the committee of the youth protest urged the UN Security Council to take Saleh to the International Criminal Court and to freeze his financial assets and those of his relatives.

It also urged an end to arms shipments to Saleh's regime and to sever all links with his government.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday discussed the growing death toll in Yemen from protests against the country's president amid growing calls for a resolution on the crisis.

UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar briefed a closed session of the 15-nation council on efforts to end strife which erupted in January and has since cost hundreds of lives.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has proposed a peace plan under which Saleh would hand over power to a transitional administration. But the veteran leader, who has ruled for 33 years, has refused to sign the deal.

Britain and other European nations are drawing up a draft UN resolution which could be presented to the Security Council in the coming days. European diplomats say they hope Russia will not block the new effort.

The Security Council agreed a statement last month which stressed the GCC peace initiative. A resolution would have much greater diplomatic weight to pressure Saleh.

At least 861 people have been killed and 25,000 others wounded since Arab Spring-inspired mass protests against Saleh erupted in late January, according to a letter from the youth movement to the United Nations earlier this month.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.