The Yemeni Center for Historical Studies and Future Strategies (Manarat) and the Civil Alliance for Peace and National Reconciliation have denounced the Saudi authorities for accusing Sheikh Saleh bin Shaja of supporting Al-Qaeda and the Houthi group.

 The statement said, “We denounce and condemn this unwise stance, which is contrary to truth. These hollow accusations made by the Saudi state security apparatus against Bin Shaja are inconsistent with what is known about him, his behavior and his practices in national public affairs.”

It added, “The security services in Saudi Arabia have been inclined to antagonize anyone who contradicts their approach. So they accuse them of the most heinous charges and put them in the criminals’ category.”

The statement continued, “We in the civil society in the Republic of Yemen were, are, and will continue to search for more Sheikhs who resemble Bin Shaja in his patriotic stances defending freedom, justice and comprehensive development in Yemen and the Arab world.”

The statement concluded that Sheikh Shaja is a pioneering model in defending national values in Yemen and the Arab world, urging him to ignore these accusations and pursue his efforts aimed at confronting hostile projects that aim at disintegrating and dominating Yemen.