Yemen Human Rights Minister Hooria Mashour announced on Sunday she was hunger striking in reaction to the state's refusal to release, as promised, all of 2011 political prisoners.
Back when Yemen Youth was pounding the streets of the capital, calling on for a regime change and social reforms, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh gave his security apparatus an comprehensive green light, prompting the Central Security Forces to conduct mass arrests against all activists and demonstrators.
Once former President Saleh agreed to step down, the newly formed coalition government promised as a peace offering to Yemen revolutionaries to immediately arrange for the release of all political prisoners. While many were indeed let go, HOOD, Yemen most prominent rights organization complained that an estimated 58 activists are still in detention, a move it says is in violation of their constitutional rights and human rights.
Minister Mashour, who has been one the strongest and most dedicated supporter of human rights issues in Yemen, often putting aside politics to follow her convictions, no matter the amount of criticism, announced on Sunday that since the authorities stubbornly refused to release the prisoners she would hunger strike. "I am on hunger strike and I will not stop until the imprisoned revolt youths are released," Mashour told reporters on Sunday. She added, "Their only fault was that they participated in the peaceful revolt."
Not alone in her fight fir justice, 20 leading activists have too announced they are hunger striking since Saturday.
Youth activist Walid al-Ammari explained on Sunday "we visited the detainees at the central prison yesterday (Saturday) and found their situation difficult and thus decided to begin a solidarity strike in the prison and will not leave without them."
With activists having warned they would escalate the movement should President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi ignores their request, officials have revealed that the president already called on his advisers to discuss the matter, especially now that one of his Cabinet ministers has significantly raised the campaign's profile.