Yemen's Saleh Accepting Resignation Deal Tomorrow

It is expected that Yemen's autocratic ruler, Ali Abdullah Saleh, will resign according to a deal to be signed tomorrow but the key concern is that Saleh will avoid prosecution because he's been granted immunity:

Yemen's government and opposition will sign on Wednesday a deal under which President Ali Abdullah Saleh would step down 30 days later, officials say.

Mr Saleh's General People's Congress party and the opposition coalition, the Common Front, have both agreed to take part in a national unity government.

Despite the imminent deal, protesters are continuing to be killed by security forces and the country remains in turmoil:



The deal hinges on the Parliament passing legislation providing immunity from prosecution for the president, his family "and those who worked with him during his rule". That's quite a wide net - and means that those who engaged in torture, indefinite detentions, and other criminal mischief would not be able to be prosecuted.

Yet, despite that golden parachute, the General People's Congress immediately accepted the GCC proposal, while the Common Front agreed on Sunday only after its leaders had received "assurances" from the GCC, the US and Europe on the transfer of power. A peaceful handover of power is preferable to the ongoing turmoil, and this is considered the lesser of evils.