KUWAIT CITY, April 5: Many lawmakers have expressed grave objections to the detention of former MP Abdulrahman Al- Anjari due to his Twitter posts. MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri said Kuwait has a Constitution and rule of law, stressing that any former lawmaker or ordinary citizen must be treated according to the law. He holds the Interior Ministry responsible for the wrong measures taken against Al-Anjari.

MP Osama Al-Shaheen stated if it is true that the General Criminal Investigation Department arrested Al-Anjari, this is an embarrassing incident for the ministry. He pointed out that if Al-Anjari is suspected of wrongdoing, he should have been summoned for interrogation, not arrested as if he is a criminal. MPs Abdulkareem Al-Kandari, Abdullah Al- Mudaf and Muhannad Al-Sayer, along with former MP Adel Al-Damkhi also criticized the arrest of Al-Anjari.

They emphasized the importance of following legal procedures and protecting the dignity of citizens, as Kuwait is not a Police State. Former MP Bader Al-Dahoum disclosed that Al- Anjari was not arrested from his home, but he was summoned by the Public Prosecution because of his posts on his Twitter account. He said the prosecution instructed the security authorities to nab Al- Anjari in to continue the investigations later. He pointed out this is the mistake of the prosecution, considering the regulations on cybercrimes do not stipulate detention of the accused or imposing bail for his release.

He added Al- Anjari is a former lawmaker, the prosecution knows his address and he responded to the summon, which means he will do the same whenever he is asked to do so. In another development, MP Khalid Al-Anzi holds HH Prime the Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah responsible for the current problems of the country. He said the premier did not cooperate with the 2020 and 2022 parliaments, which means he will not cooperate with the next Parliament. He urged the premier to respect the decisions of the Constitutional Court, which corrected the mistake he committed. He stressed the need for Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf to immediately form the new government and take oath before the Parliament, warning the delay will refl ect negatively on the citizens who are waiting for important legislation regarding their salaries and other vital issues including the ratification of the law on establishing the Higher Commission for Elections. He concluded that “any lawmaker against the establishment of the commission does not want fair elections and has no problem with forgery.”

Meanwhile, the National Assembly Office held a press conference chaired by Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim who pointed out that everyone knows the complete paralysis and chaos the country is currently experiencing. He then affirmed that he is not concerned about the continuation of the 2020 legislature. Addressing HH the Prime Minister, Al-Ghanim stated: “You are the choice of His Highness the Amir and we are the choice of the people. The decision of the Constitutional Court is binding to all parties and it was issued in the name of HH the Amir. Do you respect this decision or not? If you do not respect it, admit that you are responsible for the current situation. I had warned you against dissolving the legislature without taking oath.” Al-Ghanim added that he requested for a meeting with HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, but he could not do so because HH Prime Minister intervened. He revealed that he wanted to inform His Highness the Amir about the dangerous situation. He called on HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to stop HH the Prime Minister from hindering work in the interest of citizens. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff