Debates, minor confrontations witnessed at demo

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 10: Several Kuwaiti citizens gathered at the Erada Square recently to protest the decisions that bar citizens from travelling in a bid to restrict their freedom of movement unless they are vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Some MPs also joined the demonstration with the intention to aggravate the situation, insisting that people have the right to demonstrate and hold peaceful sit-ins that conform with the health requirements and measures imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19. The demonstration witnessed several debates as well as limited confrontations between some citizens and police officers.

Sources affirmed that the police officers were there to implement the health measures that prohibit any type of gatherings, and not what some activists and MPs claim in regard to preventing people from gathering and expressing their opinion. The sources indicated that such a claim was an attempt to manipulate facts against the government, particularly the Minister of Interior. They explained that the instructions given to the police on the ground were to prevent gatherings in order to protect the health of citizens and security personnel from the spread of the COVID-19 virus. They were not aiming to detract from any constitutional rights; on the contrary, the Ministry of Interior was implementing the law and relevant government decisions.

In this regard, MP Dr. Hamad Al- Matar demanded an investigation into the incident that occurred at the Erada Square. In a post on his Twitter account, the lawmaker said, “What happened at the Erada Square is unacceptable. It affirms that people’s dignity is a red line that cannot be crossed. Maintaining security should be done according to the law and not by violating it. The Minister of Interior must open an investigation, otherwise everyone will be held accountable. Freedom and human dignity are above all considerations”. Also, MP Abdul Kareem Al-Kandari said he believes “harassing the protesters and those present at the Erada Square and closing the roads leading to it is not an individual act or an act of diligence on the part of the police, but rather the behavior and approach of the Ministry of Interior!” He said, “We were aware of what happened early when we grilled the Minister of Interior in the last parliamentary session. One of the grilling axes was the protection of the right to gather, which is guaranteed by the Constitution”.

In addition, MP Abdulaziz Al- Saqabi stressed that the incident at Erada Square can be deemed as a blatant attack on people’s rights and an unacceptable behavior for which the Minister of Interior bears the responsibility. He indicated that freedom of speech is neither a favor nor a bounty, but rather an inherent constitutional right of the citizens. In the same context, the National Bloc denounced what it described as “inappropriate and uncivilized behavior” of an officer for withdrawing the microphone from a citizen who was exercising his right of expression. It stressed that this refl ected negatively on all the leadership of the Ministry of Interior, “which we totally reject”. The bloc expressed its refusal to withdraw the banners from Kuwaiti women, calling on the parliament to move quickly to hold the Minister of Interior accountable in a bid to prevent a repetition of the repressions towards citizens while they exercise their freedom of speech. Furthermore, the Progressive Movement expressed its regret and displeasure over the “repeated cases of deliberate provocation by some police officials against the peaceful gathering of citizens at the Erada Square”.

The movement, through its Secretary General Dr. Hamad Al-Ansari, described what happened as “a provocation, abuse, a blatant and unjustified assault, and a miserable attempt to impose a repressive police state to intimidate people”. In another development, MP Muhannad Al-Sayer demanded that every Kuwaiti mother who takes care of a child under the age of five must be exempted from return to work for full official working hours until the airport is opened to full capacity, the ban on banned countries is lifted, and the required number of domestic workers are available. By Raed Yousef and Abdul Rahman Al-Shammari Al-Seyassah, Arab Times Staff