Yemeni former ambassador on trial for "support" to secessionists

Sana'a, Yemen - Yemen's former ambassador to Mauritania appeared before a state security court in Sana'a Tuesday charged with inciting an armed disobedience by allegedly calling for the south of Yemen to secede from the north. Qassim Askar Jubran, who served as Yemen's ambassador to Mauritania from 2002 to 2006, was charged with 'seeking to destabilise the country, harm national unity and spread the culture of hatred.' Prosecutors told the court that Jubran was among southern opposition leaders who called for protests in southern cities that led to clashes between protesters and security forces over the past few weeks. The diplomat was arrested on April 17 in the southern port city of Aden. Jubran refused to offer a plea to the charges against him, saying the trial was 'political.' He read out a statement from behind bars saying he was supporting a 'peaceful struggle by the people of the south that is being faced by violence, oppression and tyrannical military force.' 'My trial is political and this court is an emergency court,' he said. The trial was adjourned until June 9. Violent protests have rocked several cities in southern Yemen the last few weeks, leaving dozens of dead and wounded among both the protesters and security force members. The protests were organised by southern secessionist groups that want the south to secede from the north claiming that the central government exercises discriminatory policies against southerners. North and South Yemen were united in 1990. In 1994, southern leaders announced the secession of the south and battled northern forces led by President Saleh for 10 weeks in a civil war that ended in their defeat. The violence highlights the increasing discontent by the southerners and tensions between southern and northern Yemen, 15 years after the civil war.