When former President Ali Abdullah Saleh chose in 2011 amid much pressure to resign from the presidency, leaving the country in the hands of his long-standing Vice-President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi, he did so under assurances that neither his aides nor his person would ever face prosecution in Yemen.
So far, despite much controversy and popular resentment former President Saleh’s immunity blanket has hold. Legally protected, President Saleh has been able to retain somewhat of a presence on the political scene as the Head of the General People’s Congress, a reality many of his detractors would like to see change.
In an interview with Asharq al-Awsat, a pan-Arab newspaper, Yemen Legal Affairs Minister Mohammed al-Mekhlafi stressed that should Saleh insists on meddling in politics.
Even though the GCC-brokered initiative which enounced the terms of Yemen power transfer did not provision in writing for the former president to retire political life and thus abandon any hope for a return, many officials, both foreign and Yemenis affirmed that such clause was nevertheless implied and a sine qua non of the immunity deal.
With no sign former President Saleh plans to give up on power, state dignitaries have warned his immunity could be revoked by parliament as easily as it was granted; especially since the bill stands in opposition to international laws. Moreover, as pointed by Minister al-Mekhlafi, “the delay in [adopting] the transitional justice law and the former regime’s continued involvement in politics has raised questions about the validity of the legal immunity and amnesty granted to Saleh.”
He added, “This issue was raised and discussed during the National Dialogue Conference. The conference agreed to reject the idea that Saleh can practice politics and enjoy legal immunity at the same time. Therefore, Saleh’s legal immunity depends on his own involvement in the political process.”