KUWAIT: The interior ministry's security media and public relations department said a 28-year-old non-Kuwaiti inmate committed suicide at the Central Jail yesterday using his blanket. He was being held in solitary confinement. The department said the inmate was doing a two-year sentence for drug abuse and that relevant security forces are currently investigating the matter to find out the motive for the suicide. Further investigations are in progress.

According to unconfirmed reports on social media, the deceased was a Syrian inmate who had allegedly attacked former opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak at the prison last month. Barrak suffered light injuries and was rushed to Farwaniya Hospital. He was later returned to his cell. In a post on Twitter, MP Marzouq Al-Khalifa described the Syrian's suicide as suspicious and demanded an investigation, adding "the case had many questions from the beginning". He called on authorities to increase Barrak's security in prison to prevent any possible retaliation.

After the assault last month, Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah had ordered an immediate investigation into the attack, while member of the Assembly's human rights committee MP Mohammad Hayef said the committee discussed the attack and demanded a full investigation. It also decided to send representatives to hear the testimony of Barrak on the matter.