The Criminal Court set July 14, 2003, to issue a verdict in the case of Dr Hakem Al-Mutairi, Secretary-General of the Salafi Movement, accused of giving a statement to London-based Al-Hayat newspaper in which he accused the State Security Department (SSD) personnel of torturing citizens and violating human rights. The SSD considered this a sharp criticism and accused Dr Hakem of spreading rumours, causing harm to Kuwait and instilling fear among citizens during wartime. Lawyer for Dr Hakem, attorney Nawaf Sari Al-Mutairi, said his client was earlier tried and acquitted by both the Criminal Court and the Court of Appeals in a similar case for issuing a similar statement. He contended, ‘If this statement was published in all local and other newspapers, tens of cases would have been filed against Dr Hakem." He told the court, ‘the statement was issued by the Salafi Movement, and not specifically by Dr Hakem."
| "Nope. Wudn't me. It was all of us." |
The lawyer further told the court the statement issued by the Salafi Movement expresses the thought of the movement and according to the Kuwaiti Constitution, every citizen is free to express his point of view as long as no harm is done to anyone. ‘The statement of the Salafi Movement was issued based on actual facts quoted by the media and the National Assembly's Human Rights Committee report which had said some violations had been committed by the SSD personnel against some citizens," said the lawyer. Attorney Al-Mutairi told the court the Salafi Movement wanted to address the National Assembly and the leaders of this nation to bring to book persons responsible for these violations. Attorney Al-Mutairi further explained, according to the Constitution, Kuwait can only be in a state of war if an Amiri decree has been issued in this regard and if the country is involved in military operations against a neighbouring country. He requested the court to drop the charge of spreading rumours during 'wartime'. |