Yeminis Argue Over Creation of Religious Police Force

In Yemen, Islamists led by Sheikh Abdulmajeed al Zindani have asked President Ali Abdullah Saleh to create a 25-member national committee for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice. Abu Dhabi's The National reports today that representatives of civil society organizations at the al Jawi Forum in Sana'a last week opposed the idea. They say that establishing a "religious police" is an unconstitutional attack on civil rights and free speech.