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Kuwaiti cleric's jail term upheld
Kuwait's appeals court yesterday upheld a two-year suspended jail sentence against a leading Kuwaiti cleric for publicly opposing the country's support for the US-led war on Iraq last year, his lawyer said. "The judge upheld the criminal court's verdict issued on June 19" against Hamed Al Ali, the former secretary general of the hardline Salaf Movement, Osama Al Munawer said. "He rejected the appeal launched by the public prosecution which called for jailing my client," he added.The appeals court also supported another court order that Ali pay 1,000 dinars ($3,400) and maintain good conduct for two years after being accused of challenging the emir's constitutional rights, Munawer said. Ali was additionally charged with calling for demonstrations and meetings without obtaining a licence. The charges were based on Ali's fatwa, or religious edict, which stated that "any backing by a Muslim country of foreign troops in attacking another Muslim state contravenes Islamic teachings", in reference to Kuwait's support for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 which toppled president Saddam Hussein. The verdict is final unless the public prosecution appeals to the supreme court. Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-11-29 |
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