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| Arabia |
| Kuwait academic charged with blasphemy over TV interview |
| 2016-04-15 |
| [NATION.PK] A prominent female academic and human rights ...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... activist in Kuwait has been charged with blasphemy. Sheikha al-Jassem was summoned to the public prosecutor's office after legal complaints were filed against her over a recent interview she gave on TV. She asserted that the constitution of Kuwait should be above the Koran and Islamic law in governing the country. The public prosecutor still has the discretion to decide whether or not Ms Jassem will be put on trial. The interview was broadcast on Kuwaiti Al-Shahed TV on 8 March. Its theme was the rise of Islamic extremism. During the interview, Ms Jassem was asked about radical Islamists who said that religion was more important than the Kuwaiti constitution. She responded by saying that this was dangerous and that, in her opinion, politics and religion should be kept apart. 'They were terrifying me' Ms Jassem made reference to the violence across the Middle East and divisions between Sunni and Shia Muslims. She said that if you just went back to holy books and relied on them, society could not move forward. Her remarks provoked a storm of attacks against her, spearheaded by Islamist members of Kuwait's parliament. "They were terrifying me - everywhere, not just from Kuwait, even from Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... ," she told the BBC. "They were talking against me, they were saying bad things, they were ridiculing me. But I'm used to it now. Calls were made for Ms Jassem's dismissal from Kuwait University, where she is a professor of philosophy. and a legal complaint was issued against her. The public prosecutor told her that the complainant said he had been psychologically damaged by her remarks. Other legal complaints may also be filed. Ms Jassem faces charges of blasphemy but it is up to the public prosecutor to decide whether to proceed to trial. If convicted, she could be jugged Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! for one year. But she is undaunted, buoyed by the support she has received as well as abuse. |
| Posted by:Fred |