SANA'A, Yemen, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The Yemeni government's response to the threat posed by al-Qaida within its borders is jeopardizing human rights, Amnesty International said Monday.
Amnesty International, in a briefing paper, highlighted an increase in human rights violations against those critical of or in opposition to the government in Yemen.
"The fear is that international demands for a crackdown on suspected supporters of al-Qaida will be interpreted by the government as a green light to crush all opposition with no consideration for human rights," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for Middle East and North Africa.
Yemen, considered a safe haven for militants and insurgents, has been under international pressure to combat al-Qaida militants living in the African country. An al-Qaida offshoot has claimed responsibility for the failed terror attack aboard a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day.
Most human rights abuses occurred during conflict between government forces and armed rebels in the north and a largely peaceful separatist movement in the south, both reportedly separate from al-Qaida concerns, Smart said.
"The government has resorted to increasingly repressive methods to counter this opposition, including waves of arrests, incommunicado detention and unlawful killings," he said. "Counter-terrorism is no excuse to sideline human rights. While the government has a duty to protect people and hold to account those engaged in terrorism it must abide by its obligations under international law."
