By B Izzak
KUWAIT: The Cabinet on Monday approved an Amiri decree granting amnesty to a number of prisoners and ordering the restoration of citizenships that were revoked a decade ago for political reasons. The decree grants amnesty to about two dozen tribesmen, including a former lawmaker, who are serving a two-year jail term after they were convicted of holding outlawed tribal primary elections ahead of last year’s general polls that were later annulled by the constitutional court. Around 22 of the tribe will benefit from the amnesty and are expected to be freed within days.
The decree also returned Kuwaiti citizenship to Ahmad Al-Jabr, the owner of a local television station that backed opposition groups. Jabr’s citizenship was revoked a decade ago, among a large number of Kuwaitis who were seen supporting the opposition. Writing on his X account, Jabr thanked HH the Amir and the political leadership for reinstating his citizenship. The decree also grants amnesty to a number of Kuwaitis serving various jail terms for illegally collecting donations for the Syrian revolution against President Bashar Al-Assad.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly is scheduled to debate a grilling against HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah filed by MP Muhalhal Al-Mudhaf over allegations he failed to implement contents of the historic address of HH the Amir delivered in June 2022, and that he refused to answer questions sent by MPs. The lawmaker also charged that there is uncertainty and confusion about the public policies of the prime minister.
The prime minister has the right to demand a delay for two weeks, and it is up to the National Assembly to decide. After the grilling debate, MPs can file a non-cooperation motion against the prime minister, which if approved by a simple majority of the elected members, will go to HH the Amir, who will decide whether to dismiss the prime minister or dissolve the Assembly.
The lawmaker also alleged that the prime minister has failed to carry out necessary political reforms envisaged by HH the Amir in his address. Mudhaf also charged that public policies adopted by the prime minister have been characterized with uncertainty, ambiguity and confusion. He also said the prime minister has refused to answer a host of questions sent to him by several lawmakers under the pretext that they were unconstitutional.