UN warns Yemen authorities against protest clampdown

GENEVA, Mar 1, 2011- The United Nations human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has warned authorities in Yemen against any attempts to use force against protesters.

Yemen has been hit by the wave of unrest that has swept through the Arab world, toppling authoritarian regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and stoking mass popular uprisings in Libya and Bahrain.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of the president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years.

"We have seen over and over again in the past few weeks that violent responses, in breach of international law, do not make the protesters go away and only serve to exacerbate their frustration and anger," Pillay said.

She added that people have the "legitimate right to express their grievances and demands to their government."