KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets with National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and head of the Supreme Judicial Council Ahmad Al-Ajeel. - Amiri Diwan photos

By B Izzak

KUWAIT: A high-level panel assigned by HH the Amir to set out conditions for political activists to be pardoned by HH the Amir, yesterday submitted its first report to HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, a signal that the amnesty decree is imminent. HH the Amir yesterday received the panel members; National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem, HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and head of the Supreme Judicial Council Ahmad Al-Ajeel. No details were published about the meeting or the report.

But prominent MP Obaid Al-Wasmi, who played an active role in a national dialogue that led to the Amiri pardon, immediately posted a picture showing him with the three members of the panel and two senior advisors of HH the Amir and wrote on his Twitter account: "Dear Kuwaiti people ... Smile". He gave no further details. Ghanem posted the same picture on his Twitter account and wrote "be optimistic about good things".

National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem speaks in a press conference yesterday.

The speaker later told reporters in the assembly that the panel submitted the report and recommendations they unanimously reached. "Things are now in the hands of the Amir" he said. He added that there will be more reports as more cases of convicts will be discussed. "I was honored today, along with the heads of the judicial and executive authorities, with a meeting with His Highness the Amir to present the report, including the recommendations, to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf," Ghanem said. He indicated other reports concerning "crucial and complex" issues would be delivered to His Highness the Amir after "studying them," indicating that these matters could not be examined in a short period of time.

His Highness the Amir has decided to use his constitutional right as stipulated in the Provision 75 of Kuwait Constitution, Ghanem announced, indicating that His Highness Sheikh Nawaf addressed him and his two colleagues as well as present advisers during the meeting, also noting that His Highness Sheikh Nawaf listened to explanations regarding the relevant proposals.

The parliament speaker has re-affirmed that His Highness the Amir solely enjoys the power to issue such an amnesty in such cases. Moreover, Ghanem expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir, hoped that the Kuwaiti people would be satisfied with the work he had done with his colleagues whom he thanked along with the consultants who had expressed their views during the meeting, in addition to the MPs who were helpful in the mission too.

Two weeks ago, HH the Amir invoked article 75 of the constitution which gives him the sole authority to pardon certain people or reduce their jail terms and assigned the committee to set the rules for the pardon. This came after several sessions of national dialogue called by HH the Amir and included the prime minister, the assembly speaker and three opposition lawmakers.

Although nothing was announced about the outcome of the national dialogue, some people who took part said that all issues of national interest were discussed. It is highly expected that HH the Amir will pardon dozens of mostly opposition activists who had been convicted of charges deemed offensive to the Amir and some Arab leaders. Scores of them are currently in jail serving their sentences.

It is also expected to include about a dozen senior former opposition MPs and activists who have been living in exile in Turkey for over three years to escape jail terms passed against them for storming the national assembly building following an anti-corruption protest late 2011. They include former prominent MPs Mussallam Al-Barrak, Faisal Al-Muslim, Jamaan Al-Harbash and others.