MPs lift Dashti immunity, nod to sanctions on firms

This news has been read 5578 times!

KUWAIT CITY, March 15: The Parliament approved Tuesday the Public Prosecution’s request to lift the immunity of MP Abdul Hameed Dashti due to a number of lawsuits that the government filed against him for offending the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kuwaiti judiciary in charge of the Abdally cell case.

On Sept 1 last year, the prosecution charged a number of people with engaging in acts deemed harmful to the integrity of Kuwait, collaborating with Iran and Hezbollah which is keen on carrying out hostile acts against Kuwait through the collection, acquisition and production of unlicensed explosives and ammunition and wiretapping devices in a bid to commit crimes.

The Criminal Section of the high court headed by Judge Mohammed Al-Duaij later issued a verdict on the execution of two of the 26 accused in the Abdally cell case.

The Parliament directly voted on the case but a number of MPs objected and they demanded for a discussion, arguing that Dashti’s statements were not only offensive to Saudi Arabia but to the Kuwaiti Parliament as well. Moreover, the Parliament approved a number of recommendations concerning Bedouns as follows:

■ Naturalization of those who deserve it, particularly the children of martyrs, relatives of Kuwaitis, sons of military personnel and those included in the 1965 Census.

■ Granting security cards to those who do not qualify for naturalization as per the abovementioned conditions for them to be entitled to basic social and humanitarian rights.

■ After the Kuwaitis, Bedouns should be given priority in the recruitment process in military, governmental and private institutions.

■ Review the security restrictions currently imposed on some Bedouns. These restrictions must be applied on the individual alone, so his family or relatives should be excluded.

■ Grant Bedouns the right to obtain birth, marriage and death certificates, divorce documents, driver’s license, and attestation of last will and testament.

■ Grant them the right to education, health and handicapped care. In addition, the government and Parliament approved the Elderly Care Bill in its first and second readings. The bill consists of 25 articles concerning citizens who reached 65 years old and above. It differentiated the ‘elderly’ from the ‘indigent elderly’ defining the latter as an elderly who is unable to secure for himself, wholly or partly, what the average person earns due to lack of financial, physical, mental or psychological abilities. It stipulates privileges to those classified as ‘indigent elderly’ to ensure they enjoy the comforts of life.

By Abubakar A. Ibrahim and Ahmed Al-Naqeeb Arab Times Staff

This news has been read 5578 times!