YEMEN: THREE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SHEIK

Judge Yahia al-Thari from the West Penal Court in Taiz, Yemen, sentenced three of the accused to death for the murder of Sheikh Abdu al-Salam al-Qaisi. Sheikhs and other prominent individuals from the Sharab district were united in demanding that the eight be executed. Sheikh al-Qaisi was killed in September 2007 during a banned-weapons campaign that started a few months prior. During the conflict he refused to heed the orders of security forces and was killed following a manhunt. Among the accused, all officers from central security in Taiz, the three who received the death penalty were Adel al-Sharjabi, Mohammed Saleh, and Sadiq Mushaqaq. Police patrol officer Raghib Aama’a was sentenced to five years in prison, officer Ali Qasim to three years, and Yahya al-Azab, Najed Musharaf, and Mujahed al-Yari to one year.