Yemeni clerics retract calls for religious police

Jul 15, 2008, 18:32 GMT

Sana'a, Yemen - Yemeni conservative Muslim preachers on Tuesday withdrew calls for the establishment of an organisation for promoting virtue and combating vice after rights activists voiced fears that religious police could undermine freedoms.

Around 4,000 preachers gathered at a conference centre in the capital Sana'a and called instead for an annual meeting to discuss violations against teachings of the Islamic law and public morals.

The gathering particularly criticised prostitution activities in some cities and publicly serving alcohol at hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners and locals alike.

'Our society is being invaded by the viruses of vice that destroyed the people, and it is necessary now to protect and guard the religion and people,' fundamentalist Islamic leader Abdul-Majeed al-Zendani said in an address to the gathering.

Authorities were quick to respond to the call and closed several centres Tuesday, including a Chinese massage club and two restaurants which serve alcohol in Sana'a.

A Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa reporter saw police units raiding the three centres and forcing their workers out before they closed down the facilities. However, no arrests were made.

Muslim scholars and lawmakers have called on the country's President Ali Abdullah Saleh to allow the establishing of an organisation for promoting virtue and combating vice to monitor practices that are seen as violations to religious morals.

Non-government organisations and rights activists, however, warned that such a body could by a copy of Saudi Arabia's religious police who enforce moral standards based on strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Yemen's population of 24 million is overwhelmingly Muslim and religiously observant.