In a surprise move, President Saleh ordered the release of 12 opposition members who were arrested and jailed over wide protests and unrest that occurred last April in some Southern provinces.

In his letter directed to Justice Minister, Saleh ordered releasing the prisoners detained over Southern provinces' issues and demanded them to practice their constitutional rights within the country's effective laws as is the case with other citizens.

After receiving President Saleh's directives, the officials of the Political Security Apparatuses released the prisoners and sent them home. The Islah Party's affiliate and comedian Fahd Al-Qarni was among the released prisoners.

According to political observers, such a move is made by Saleh to ease the situation with the Joint Meeting Parties that had rejected earlier to endorse the constitutional amendments of elections law and also rejected the new Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER).

Excluding Fahd Al-Qarni, other released prisoners belong to the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP) and numbering 11. These people are Hasan Ahmed Ba'awm, Ali Haitham Al-Ghareeb, Ali Munasar Mohammed, Yahya Ghaleb Al-Shua'ibi, Nasser Muhsen Al-Fadhli, Hasan Zaid bin Yahya, Hussein Abdullah Al-Bakri, Naji Al-Arabi, Mahmoud Hasan Zaid, Aidrous Ali Saleh Al-Dahbali, Abdu Rabu Al-Humishi and Ahmed Omar bin Fareed.

Though there have been no immediate comments by Islah and the Socialist Parties, several human rights and civil society organizations praised Saleh's decision.