Yemeni officials and security forces have facilitated attacks by armed gangs on peaceful anti-government protesters in places away from the capital of Sanaa, or stood by while such attacks occurred, Human Rights Watch said.

According to News Yemen, pro-government gangs injured many protesters in various attacks in recent months.
“The world is watching largely peaceful protests in Sanaa, but Yemeni officials are at best standing by or at worst helping gangs’ assault demonstrators in places far from the public eye,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
“Governments in the region and beyond claiming to support democratic reform and accountability should urge President Saleh to halt these thuggish attacks now.” The director continued.
Protests continue
Meanwhile Yemenis protested during a demonstration in Sanaa on Wednesday.
One person has been killed and dozens were injured when security forces opened fire on protesters in the Yemeni capital Sana'a, Press TV reported.
About 150 Yemeni army personnel joined protesters.
In another development, a Yemeni protester died of gunshot wounds Wednesday after being hit when police opened fire overnight on anti-regime demonstrators in Sanaa, a medical official said.
The protester was wounded when police fired live bullets and tear gas to disperse a students' demonstration outside Sanaa University late Tuesday. He later died of his wounds in hospital, AFP reported.
Three other demonstrators were also wounded by gunfire, while some 60 others were lightly hurt from being beaten by police batons or inhaling tear gas, the official said.
On Monday, President Ali Abdullah Saleh called for a national dialogue conference, but the opposition's rotating President, Yaseen Saeed Noman, rejected the proposal, which was made to defuse the tense situation.
Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds more have been injured in the Yemeni government's violent crackdown on anti-regime protests