Kuwait Drops Interior Ministry’s Legal Charges against 38 Opposition MPs

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim. (KUNA)
National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim. (KUNA)
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Kuwait Drops Interior Ministry’s Legal Charges against 38 Opposition MPs

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim. (KUNA)
National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim. (KUNA)

Kuwait dropped on Tuesday the Interior Ministry’s legal charges against several opposition MPs for flouting coronavirus preventive measures.

Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah said the political leadership ordered that the charges filed by the ministry against the 38 lawmakers be dropped.

The political leadership stressed the importance of cooperation between the legislative and executive authorities to confront all challenges, underling the need to respect the constitution, laws and health precautions, he added.

The PM expressed his gratitude to Emir Sheikh Nawaf a-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and Crown Prince Mishal al-Ahmad for ordering that the charges be dropped.

The opposition was outraged after the lawmakers, who make up 57 percent of the National Assembly, were referred to the general prosecution for breaching health and social distancing regulations.

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim said he was summoned for violating the regulations in wake of the announcement of the results of the December parliamentary elections.

In remarks to the press, he added that he believes that the summons was just, stressing that no one was above the law.

He underlined the need to respect the constitution that all lawmakers swore to uphold.

“If we breached the health rules or any other law, then we must be held accountable,” he stated.

Tensions have been growing between the government and opposition after the Constitutional Court annulled on Sunday the membership of MP Bader Zayed Al-Dahoum for insulting the Emir.



Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Talks with Pakistani, Indian, and Uzbek Counterparts

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah - Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Talks with Pakistani, Indian, and Uzbek Counterparts

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah - Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah - Asharq Al-Awsat

In a series of high-level diplomatic meetings, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, held telephone conversations on Friday with senior officials from Pakistan, India, and Uzbekistan, focusing on bilateral relations and regional developments.
Prince Faisal spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, to review the strong ties between the Kingdom and Pakistan. The two officials discussed the regional situation and emphasized ongoing efforts to ease tensions and promote stability.
Prince Faisal held a telephone call with India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The discussion also centered on regional issues and de-escalation strategies, as well as exploring ways to further strengthen Saudi-Indian relations.
Additionally, Prince Faisal received a phone call from Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakhtiyor Saidov. The two ministers discussed matters of mutual interest and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting cooperation across various fields.