SALEH PARDONS JOURNALISTS

TAIZ, May 22 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh pardoned on
Saturday all journalists on trial and those sentenced due to
public right cases.

The pardon was granted as the president attended the festival
organized on the 20th anniversary of unification in the western
province of Taiz.

In his address to the nation on the eve of Unification Day, Saleh
ordered to release all detainees held in connection with the Houthi
rebellion in the far north, which ended in February this year, and
the rioting in some southern provinces.

We hope the released learn from the pardon to be good community
assets, he said.

Early today, President Saleh and Vice President Abdu Rabu Mansour
Hadi attended the youth and student festival organized on the
occasion in Taiz.

Parliament Speaker Yahya al-Ra'e, Prime Minister Ali Mujawar, Shura
Chairman Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani, head of the Supreme Judicial
Council Esma al-Samawi, president advisors, a number of lawmakers
and Shura members, military and party leaders and Yemen guests from
Egypt, Oman and other foreign countries attended the event as well.

At the festival, Taiz Governor Khalid Hamoud al-Soufi delivered a
speech saying that the national unity of Yemen is very strong and
many giant achievements have been made under it.

The unity has never been a point of controversy even in the peak of
separation ages, he said.

Moreover, he pointed to President Saleh's initiatives for holding a
national dialogue to address the country's crucial issues.

In this regard, the governor said: we, various political and
intellectual forces in Yemen, should manage our disagreements
through a responsible dialogue within the unity and constitution.

FR