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On 10
May 2010, Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem was
arrested for allegedly insulting Kuwait's head of state and had raised
the matter with the Kuwaiti government.
Mohammad
Abdul-Kader al-Jassem is a Kuwaiti lawyer who has
observed trials on behalf of human rights organisations, and a prominent
writer. Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem is also the author of books and articles on issues including
political reforms, corruption and the independence of the judiciary.
Kuwaiti lawyer and blogger, Mohammed
Al-Jassem, has been in jail since 11 May 2010 when he was summoned to the
department of National Security for interrogation. Al-Jassem was detained after a complaint against him was issued
by the office of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Al-Jassem
is also accused of spreading false news that could harm Kuwait's national
interests.
His
trial opened on May 24 and the court banned Kuwaiti media from publishing
reports about the case. Mohammed Al-Jassem was brought to the court from the central
prison guarded by masked, armed members of the special security police,
hand cuffed to the back, foot cuffed, and blind folded. It is also
alleged that he was ill-treated by security staff on the way to court. When
he was placed in the defendants' cage in the court room he was greeted by
applause from the audience. During the session, Mohammed Al-Jassem and
his lawyers complained that according to Article 44 of the Law on Penal
Procedures, the 21-day maximum period of precautionary detention of
Mohammed Al-Jassem had ended on 31 May 2010 and, since there had been no
court order to renew his detention, his continued detention was thus
illegal.
On his website, he
criticized the ruling al-Sabah family and accused Prime Minister Nasser al-Mohammad
al-Sabah of mismanagement and corruption.
On 7
June 2010, the second session of the trial of human rights defender Mr
Mohammed Al-Jassem took place in Kuwait City. Mohammed Al-Jassem was
presented before the court for the second session of his trial in hall 17
in the Palace of Justice in Kuwait city, in State Security Case No.1/2010
on charges of "instigating to overthrow the regime,"
"slight to the personage of the Emir" and "instigating to
dismantle the foundations of Kuwaiti society".
The
charges were based on complaints filed by Shaikh Nasser Al-Sabah,
Minister of Royal Court Affairs and son of the Emir of Kuwait. The
charges were all in relation to articles written by Mohammed Al-Jassem
during the last five years posted on his blog “Al Meezan” http://www.aljasem.org. .
The case was adjourned until 21 June 2010 in order to hear the
testimony of investigation officer. The judge ordered the defendant to be
examined by a medical committee. Mohammed al-Jassem faces up to 18 years in prison if convicted according to his
lawyers.
IDHAE said the charges against him were
political and called for his release.
Kuwait,
the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, has the freest press among Gulf
Arab states but its ruler is protected from criticism by the
constitution. Many writers have been fined or imprisoned for defamation.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW
Send
The IDHAE LETTER TO ADRESSES MENTIONNES BELOW
[Your name here]
Dear Madame Minister,.
As european lawyers interested
in supporting the work ...
MEMBERS
ONLY
Sincerely,
[Signature]
HE President Hugo Chavez
Palacio de
Miraflores,
Final Avenida Urdaneta,
Esq. de
Bolero,
Caracas,
Distrito Capital.
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