Thousands protest in Yemen against president’s criticism of women’s presence at demonstrations

SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s anti-government movement took up the issue of women’s rights in the conservative Muslim nation on Saturday, as thousands of demonstrators seeking the president’s ouster denounced his comments against the participation of women in protest rallies.

In a speech Friday, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said the mingling of men and women at protests in the capital was against Islamic law. Demonstrators, including thousands of women, responded by marching through the capital of Sanaa and several other cities, shouting: “Saleh, beware of injuring women’s honor.”

A crackdown on protesters by Saleh’s forces has killed more than 120 people, according to Yemeni rights groups, but has not deterred crowds from gathering.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/thousands-protest-in-yemen-against-president-criticism-of-womens-presence-at-demonstrations/2011/04/16/AF1k7DoD_story.html