Brigadier Nasser al-Nouba, aged in his 50s, Ahmed ‘Omar bin Farid and Ahmed al-Qama’a were arrested on 2 September 2007 after taking part in a protest by retired soldiers in central Aden. Hassan Ba’oom, his son Fadi Ba’oom, and Mohsin al-Yazidi were arrested on 1 September following a related protest in the city of al-Mukalla. Nasser al-‘Awlaqi, aged about 40, and ‘Abbas al-‘Assal, aged 42, are thought to remain held incommunicado without charge after their arrest in August. Amnesty International is concerned that the eight men may be prisoners of conscience, held solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
