The government is thought to be behind the threats. Called a rabid dog, he criticised corruption and President Saleh.

Sanaa (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Mohamed Qahtan, head of the opposition Islamist Islah party, said he recently received "death threats". He blamed the authorities for making them after he publicly criticised corruption in the government at various rallies and debates last month. In his view, rampant corruption is to blame for country's poverty and economic problems.

Qathan, who also gave an interview to Arabic satellite television Al Jazeera on the issue, has been a harsh critic of current President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

He said he received threatening phone calls and letters calling him a rabid dog and a traitor.

Government officials have declined to many any comments, but a letter, published on a Web site, described Qahtan as a "rabid dog whose end will be like that of any rabid dog or any traitor to his homeland and people".

Opposition parties in Yemen have called on the government to quit because of widespread corruption among its officials.

The World Bank, which is overseeing Yemen's halting economic reforms, and donor nations have also called on the government to end graft as one of several measures to woo investors and restore the economy.

• yemen
• democracy
• human
• rights
• civil
• rights
• freedom
• of
• speech
• politics
• death
• threats
• mohamed
• qahtan
• ali
• abdullah
• saleh