Kuwait Opposition Leader Lands in Jail for Insulting Emir
A Kuwaiti court on Monday sentenced main opposition leader and former MP Mussallam al-Barrak to five years in prison after he was convicted of insulting the emir.
"The court has sentenced the defendant Mussallam al-Barrak to five years in prison with immediate effect," said judge Wael al-Atiqi.
Barrak was detained for four days in late October and released on bail. He is also facing trial on several other counts including charges of storming parliament and taking part in protests.
Dozens of Barrak supporters staged an unprecedented protest outside the courtroom in late January when the court did not allow them to attend the trial.
Several opposition tweeters and former MPs have been sentenced to jail terms on charges of insulting the emir.
Kuwait's opposition has been staging protests to demand the dissolution of parliament elected last December on the basis of an electoral law that had been amended by the emir.
The opposition claims that the change is illegal and is aimed at electing a rubber stamp parliament.
Source: Agence France Presse
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