Yemen’s human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman reiterated her support for the legitimacy of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, stressing that he will remain a leader of Yemen until after the coup ends and the state is retaken.

Karman, in a statement posted on social media, said she stands up for the legitimacy of the consensus President Hadi who should continue until the state and its institutions are retaken from the militias of Iran-backed Houthi group and ousted president Saleh and the transitional period is completed. 

This comes at a time when the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has started a new round of consultations as an attempt to make any breakthrough based on efforts announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Kerry’s proposal includes, among others, that President Hadi transfers his powers to a new vice-president and a government national unity is formed, provided that Hadi remains only an honorary president until a new one is elected.

However, President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's government rejected Kerry's move, complaining that it played into the hands of the Houthis and sidelined the government.

“Kerry’s comments are a bid to derail peace efforts and a bid to reach an agreement with the Houthis without the government," said Yemen’s foreign minister.