kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison

Supporters of Kuwaiti opposition leader Mussallam al-Barrak (centre) celebrate his release on April 21, 2017
Kuwait City - Arab Today

Prominent Kuwaiti opposition leader Mussallam al-Barrak was released from prison Friday after serving a two-year sentence for insulting the emir in public.

Barrak, 61, walked free from Kuwait's central prison to a frenzied reception by relatives and supporters who broke through a security cordon and surrounded his vehicle.

The former lawmaker, who served six consecutive terms from 1999 to 2012, openly criticised the government upon his release. 

"One day I said and I repeat: History will jail those who sent me to jail," Barrak, still wearing a beige prison uniform, shouted to the cheering crowd.

Hundreds of family members and supporters braved scorching heat and dusty winds and waited for more than three hours for Barrak's release outside the central jail, 25 kilometres (16 miles) southwest of Kuwait City.

Barrak gave a brief speech before a long motorcade drove him to his residence, where more supporters were waiting.The jubilant crowd sang and chanted slogans praising Barrak, hailing him as "the conscience of the people". 

In a defiant speech there, Barrak said he was not given a "fair trial" and denied he had insulted the ruler as he had only expressed his "political opinion".

He said the situation in the Gulf state has deteriorated with authorities issuing freedom-curbing laws, punishing political opponents and revoking their citizenships.

"The only way to forge reforms is through an elected government with its leader winning through the ballot box," Barrak said.

Under Kuwait's political system, the prime minister has always been a senior member of the ruling family appointed by the emir regardless of the outcome of an election.

In February 2015, Barrak was sentenced to two years in jail for comments he made at a 2012 public rally which undermined the status of Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

Barrak had been protesting against changes to the kingdom's electoral law which he argued would allow the authorities to manipulate election results.

He is the most senior, and the most popular, opposition leader to be jailed in an unprecedented crackdown on dissent in Kuwait. 

Dozens of opposition activists are either in jail or are facing trial for insulting the emir, including via social media.

Barrak's release comes months after a majority of his partners in the opposition alliance ended a four-year boycott of general elections.

The alliance won about half of the 50 parliamentary seats in snap polls in November.

The oil-rich emirate is widely viewed as a pioneer in operating a parliamentary system among the Gulf monarchies.  

The OPEC member state sits on about seven percent of global crude reserves and pumps around 2.8 million barrels of oil per day. 

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison kuwaiti opposition leader freed from prison

 



GMT 13:42 2015 Saturday ,04 April

Libyan warplane targets camp in Gharyan town

GMT 15:14 2017 Wednesday ,01 March

UN documents nearly 1,500 child soldiers in Yemen

GMT 07:24 2017 Sunday ,01 October

Mexico unlikely to find more quake survivors

GMT 16:15 2015 Wednesday ,11 November

German intelligence 'spied' on Fabius, FBI, UN bodies

GMT 01:32 2017 Saturday ,15 April

Russia's Putin earns about 157,000 USD in 2016

GMT 16:30 2017 Saturday ,15 July

Minister of planning gives priority

GMT 19:45 2017 Wednesday ,05 April

President of Senegal Meets Attorney General

GMT 05:18 2017 Thursday ,21 September

Over 80 missing after migrant boat sinks off Libya

GMT 19:22 2017 Saturday ,01 April

UN: Number of Syrian Refugees Tops 5 million

GMT 15:16 2016 Thursday ,29 September

FBI to put up database on police use of deadly force

GMT 05:06 2016 Friday ,30 September

Indian markets open flat

GMT 01:57 2017 Tuesday ,10 October

Twin suicide bombs kill 13 near Mogadishu airport

GMT 02:25 2017 Friday ,08 September

UAE celebrates National Day at Expo 2017 Astana

GMT 06:19 2017 Sunday ,08 January

Bleaching poses the gravest threat to coral reefs

GMT 12:35 2017 Monday ,18 September

Elham Shahin happy for “Day for Women”

GMT 09:46 2017 Thursday ,22 June

US existing home sales unexpectedly rise in May

GMT 02:36 2017 Tuesday ,10 January

US embassy condemns Al-Arish suicide attack

GMT 10:34 2017 Sunday ,26 November

czar faces graft probe
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday