KUWAIT CITY, Aug 6: The Court of Appeals cancelled the verdict of the First Instance Court that ordered putting a citizen, who has been accused of possessing drugs for personal use, under surveillance and imposed a travel ban on him. The Criminal Court had earlier sentenced the accused in absentia to five years in prison with hard labor and immediate execution along with a fine of KD 1,000 for possessing hashish and driving under the influence of drugs.

The accused filed a petition against the ruling and then the First Instance Court refrained from imposing punishment and allowed him to post bail.

The court also asked the accused to sign a pledge of good conduct for two years. It imposed a travel ban on him and put him under close monitoring. In the Court of Appeals, Attorney Duaiji Al-Jasem demanded for the acquittal of his client on grounds that the arrest procedures were not valid and his client denied the charges.

He cited the law with regards to travel ban, asserting that a person’s freedom to travel or movement in and outside the country is a right enshrined in the Constitution. He argued it is not permitted to touch such freedom unless it is within the purview of the law.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud and Munaif Nayef Al-Seyassah Staff and Agencies