The political leaders of the opposition Join Meeting Parties (JMPs) described the electing of governors as 'play'. They said the governor elections contradict the principle of free and direct elections.

They demanded to issue a law allowing all people to elect the governors and district directors.

The chairman of the political circle of Yemen Congregation for Reform party (Islah) said in a press conference for the JMPs, "we are with the decision of governors and district directors elections, if the elections are open and public, but the government has confined the candidacy for governor post on the members of governorate and district local councils."

Earlier, the National Defense Council (NDC) chaired by President Ali Abdullah Saleh decided on Wednesday to amend some articles of the Local Authority Law concerning elections of governors.

The NDC decided to transfer all financial allowances for development projects in governorates to the local councils and to give local councils the authority of electing governors from members of the local councils in the governorates.

In the press conference, the JMPs condemned arresting and hunting down the political activists and the opposition local leaders and the leaders of peaceful and democratic protests.

Mohammed al-Makhlafi, chairman of the legal circle in the Yemeni Socialist Party, said, "About 200 people were arrested during the last two weeks on the background of the southern protests, some of them were released and re-arrested once again. 9 people are coercively disappeared and 5 people are put in a secret prison in Sana'a."

The High JMPs Council expressed its sorrow for the irresponsible official discourse towards the partners of political life in the country, which implies accusations of treachery, threats and provocation against the JMPs.

The JMPs in a statement called all their supporters to continue their peaceful struggle and protests to release all political detainees and to adhere to the national and democratic issues.