Human Rights Developments

Defending Human Rights

The Role of the International Community

Local human rights groups were able to operate, but were under some pressure from the Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs. On April 9, the ministry ordered all nongovernmental organizations to submit reports on their activities and budgets as well as general information and details of their internal elections, as required by Law 11/1963 on Charitable Societies, passed by by the former Arab Republic of Yemen. Except for the Aden-based Organization for the Defense of Human Rights and Democratic Liberties, which regularly publicizes human rights abuses, most human rights organizations concentrated on training or awareness-raising workshops for journalists and legislators. Local chapters of Amnesty International operated in the major cities. International human rights monitors were able to visit Yemen.