Jakarta Globe, AFP, January 06, 2013
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A Kuwaiti court sentenced an opposition youth to two years in jail for writing tweets deemed offensive to the ruler of the oil-rich Gulf state. (JG Photo) |
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A Kuwaiti
court on Sunday sentenced an opposition youth to two years in jail for writing
tweets deemed offensive to the ruler of the oil-rich Gulf state, a rights
activist said.
Rashed
al-Enezi, who was in the courtroom to hear the sentence, was immediately
arrested by police and taken to jail, the head of the independent Kuwait
Society for Human Rights, Mohammad al-Humaidi, told AFP.
Enezi is
the first to be sentenced among dozens of tweeters, activists and former
opposition lawmakers who face similar charges since the government began a
clampdown on the opposition in the lead-up to elections held on Dec. 1 last
year.
The
opposition has been staging regular demonstrations in protest at an amendment
of the electoral law and the holding of the the parliamentary vote on the basis
of the amended legislation.
It has
announced plans to stage a demonstration later on Sunday to demand that
parliament be dissolved and the amendment to the electoral law scrapped.
Humaidi
said that more than 200 opposition activists, including former lawmakers, face
trial on a variety of charges, mainly criticizing the emir who is protected
against criticism in the constitution.
Among those
are around 25 young tweeters who were arrested, interrogated and then freed on
bail on charges of insulting the emir.
"The
charges were not based on solid accusations but on wrong interpretation of the
tweets by authorities. Most of the charges are fabricated," Humaidi said.
The same
court is slated to issue verdicts on Monday on another youth tweeter and a
member of the scrapped parliament on similar charges.
Agence France-Presse
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