KUWAIT: The trial of the suspect in the murder of Farah Akbar turned into a solidarity gathering by the victim's family and human rights and women activists, who gathered before the start of the trial at the Palace of Justice demanding capital punishment against the suspect. The courtroom was crowded by lawyers and political and human rights activists under very tight security, Al-Qabas Arabic daily reported yesterday. The suspect arrived in a central prison bus early in the morning.

The court decided to postpone the trial until May 25 to summon the case officer. The suspect's two lawyers asked for the postponement, while the suspect pled not guilty. The suspect denied kidnapping, threatening or killing the victim, denying all charges. He told the judge he worked for military intelligence and studied psychology at university.

The suspect's defense asked for more time, while the victim's lawyer demanded a temporary civil compensation of KD 5,001 and capital punishment against the suspect. The victim's family and activists expressed confidence in Kuwait's judiciary to serve justice to Akbar.