UN urged to take Yemen's Saleh to criminal court

An opposition MP on Friday urged the UN Security Council, which is to meet on Yemen, to refer President Ali Abdullah Saleh to the International Criminal Court over bloodshed linked to his refusal to quit.

"We call on the Security Council to impose sanctions on President Saleh and to refer him to the ICC," said Fued Dahaba, from the opposition Islamist party Al-Islah, leading weekly Muslim prayers near Sanaa's Change Square.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss Saleh's refusal to hand over power under a Gulf plan in return for immunity from prosecution, as increasing violence ramps up the pressure for international action.

The 15-member Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2014 on October 21 condemning attacks on demonstrators by Saleh's forces and strongly backing a Gulf Cooperation Council plan under which Saleh would end 33 years in power.

Several hundred demonstrators have been killed since anti-government protests started in late January.

Saleh's forces have killed at least 94 people and wounded 800, mostly in Sanaa and Taez, over the three weeks since the resolution was passed, according to a toll compiled by young anti-regime protesters.

"The solution is now for (Saleh) to be put on trial, not by the signing of the (Gulf) initiative," said Dahaba before a huge crowd gathered for Friday prayers at the square that has become a focal point of protests.

Saleh's supporters took part in separate prayers at Sabbine Square near the presidential palace. "The people wants Ali Abdullah Saleh ... The people want security," they chanted.