Kuwait jails MPs, dissidents over 2011 parliament raid

Kuwaiti court on Monday sentenced to jail 67 people, including an opposition leader and hardliner deputies, over a 2011 raid on parliament, a defence lawyer said.

Opposition leader Musallam Al Barrak, three hardline MPs and 63 other dissidents were convicted of violence against police during the takeover of the parliament building, Youssef Al Harbash said.

The lawyer said he planned to file for a mistrial over what he said was the absence of a full defence team.

Barrak and MPs Walid Tabtabai and Jamaan Al Harbash were sentenced to seven years, while Mohammed Al Mater, the third hardline MP, received a one-year jail term.

The remaining defendants were handed sentences ranging from one to seven years.

The 2011 raid on parliament was aimed at forcing the resignation of Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al Sabah, then the country's prime minister.

Sheikh Nasser eventually resigned amid a corruption scandal.

Barrak has previously served a two-year sentence for insulting Kuwait's emir. He was released in April.

All 67 of those convicted are members of or sympathise with Kuwait's opposition, which includes both nationalists and hardliners.

While the opposition has called for political reform, including a crackdown on corruption, it has stopped short of targeting the government.

Kuwait's parliament has been dissolved seven times since 2006 due to frequent feuds between the government and opposition

Source : Times of oman