23 Jan 2011

Yemen arrests anti-government protest leader

Yemen sparked a new wave of protests today with the arrest of a female activist who led student rallies against the government in the capital last week.

Inspired by the ousting of Tunisia's president, Tawakul Karman led two protests at Sanaa University, criticising autocratic Arab leaders and calling on Yemenis to topple President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Tawakul-Karman

Police stopped Karman on her way home early today and charged her with organising unlicensed demonstrations without permission, said her husband, Mohamed Ismail al-Nehmi, who was with her.

"I have no accurate information about her whereabouts," Nehmi said. "Maybe at the central prison, maybe somewhere else, I don't know."

More on The Guardian