MPs visit jail over reported suicide incident

KUWAIT: The National Assembly is expected to debate key amendments to the Nationality Law that allows those who have their citizenship revoked in any way to challenge the action in court, a lawmaker said yesterday. Head of the Priority Issues Panel MP Thamer Al-Dhafiri said the proposed amendments to the 1959 Nationality Law will be debated among a host of other important issues.

These include the economic reform package including hikes in prices, the issue of Khour Abdullah waterway between Kuwait and Iraq, a debate on unemployment and others, Dhafiri said. National Assembly committees had approved proposals stipulating to allow Kuwaitis who lose their citizenship by government action will be allowed to challenge the action in court. At present, citizenship is considered a sovereign issue that courts cannot handle. The Assembly is scheduled to hold its regular sessions on March 28 and 29.

Death of an inmate

In the meantime, members of the National Assembly Human Rights Committee yesterday visited the central jail to investigate the death of an inmate accused of a drugs offense. The man was reported to have hanged himself to death in his cell in the central prison barely a few weeks after he attempted to assault jailed opposition leader and former MP Mussallam Al-Barrak. Barrak is expected to be freed next month after completing a two-year jail term. He was sentenced to on charges of insulting the Amir in public. Several opposition lawmakers have demanded additional protection measures for Barrak following the assault and after the reported suicide of his assailant.

Member of the committee MP Jamaan Al-Harbash said the delegation obtained important information about the death of an inmate after meeting various sides in the prison. Harbash said that the visit was the second to the jail, adding that in the first visit MPs demanded that prisoners convicted on drug charges should not be sent to wards where prisoners with lower crimes are jailed.

Public Funds Committee

The public funds protection committee yesterday completed its report on companies where the government holds over a 50-percent stake. It also submitted another report on the outcome of its investigation on why a majority of cases received by the Anti-Corruption Authority had been shelved. The committee discussed yesterday a report on violations committed by a private company on public ports.

Minister of Commerce and Industry and State Minister for Youth Khaled Al-Roudhan said yesterday he believes that the sanctions on local sports by the International Olympic Committee and FIFA will be lifted soon. The minister said that they are taking the right path in resolving the sports crisis and have reached an advanced stage. The Assembly sports committee has approved a number of amendments to the sports laws in order to meet demands by IOC and FIFA.

By B Izzak