Lawyer and human rights activist Khaled Al-Anesi was arrested today as he was defending imprisoned activist Tawakul Karman.
Anesi was arrested as he was trying to meet the attorney general along with a number of human rights activists to explain that her arrest was illegal and an open violation of the Yemeni constitution. Security forces approached him and asked if they can talk to him, when they suddenly attacked him and sent him to prison. Human rights activist Ali Dailami was also arrested, along with many of those who were with them.
Anesi’s wife and human rights activist Kawkab Thaibani told Yemen Post that she visited her husband in prison earlier and mentioned that he was high spirited and confident that justice would prevail. “I saw over twenty activists and protesters sitting in prison with him, but they are there for a cause”, she said.
Anesi is a well known human rights activist and represents numerous media outlets in courts voluntarily.
Khaled Anesi is a co-founder of HOOD Human Rights Organization as he held the position of executive director for more than 10 years.
The government is expected to continue random imprisonment as fears that Yemen will be the next Tunisia. Protests have continued in Sana’a for eight consecutive days and are expected to continue on a daily basis.