Final Verdict Upheld
The State Security Appeals Court in Kuwait confirmed a final ruling on Tuesday, sentencing former parliamentarian Mohammed Al-Mutair to eight years of imprisonment with hard labor. The sentence covers two separate cases involving accusations of broadcasting false information, disseminating secret documents, and insulting the Public Prosecutor. Additionally, the defendant faced charges related to publicly questioning the rights and powers of the Emir and insulting the judicial system.
The court’s decision consolidated penalties from both legal matters. It upheld a three-year sentence for the first case concerning the alleged spread of false news and the insult to the Public Prosecutor. For the second case, which involved challenging the Emir’s authority and insulting the courts, the court maintained a five-year term. The combined total results in an eight-year prison term. According to local sources, this judgment is final and not subject to further appeal.
Defendant’s Absence from Proceedings
The final ruling came after Al-Mutair failed to attend the trial sessions. Reports indicate that the court had postponed the hearing several times over a period of weeks specifically to allow for his presence. Despite these accommodations, he did not appear, leading to the issuance of the final verdict in his absence.
Wider Crackdown on Opposition
This decision follows a recent wave of final judgments against other former lawmakers and political opponents in Kuwait. Shortly before Al-Mutair’s sentencing, the Kuwaitian Court of Cassation overturned an acquittal for former MP Musallam Al-Barrak, ordering his re-imprisonment for three years. This ruling was based on accusations that he spread malicious news detrimental to national interests. Other former deputies, including Mishaan Al-Sayer, Saleh Al-Mulla, Salem Al-Namlan, and Badr Al-Dahoum, have also received prison sentences in similar contexts.
Furthermore, the court annulled acquittals for fifteen defendants, most of whom were former MPs, in cases alleging attacks on the Emir’s prerogatives and the dissemination of harmful rumors affecting internal stability. These legal actions occur while the Kuwaiti National Assembly remains suspended under an emiri decree issued in May 2024. That order dissolved the parliament and suspended parts of the constitution for up to four years, transferring legislative powers to the Emir and the government. The move followed prolonged tensions between the legislative and executive branches, with the Emir citing the need to address difficult circumstances and protect state interests.
