The Kuwaiti Criminal Court has postponed the trial of the former vice chairman

Kuwait’s Criminal Court on Sunday postponed the trial of former deputy speaker of parliament Mohammad Al-Mutair until December 15 and lifted his travel ban after hearing his defense.
Al-Mutair is accused of “insulting the authority of the emir and questioning the integrity of the judges of the Constitutional Court.” The court also referred the case of former MP Bader Al-Dahoum, who faces similar charges, for review along with that of Al-Mutair due to their connection.
Al-Mutair’s case had previously been postponed on August 11, when the court rejected his request to lift the travel ban and postponed the trial until October 13 for further hearings on his alleged defamation of the emir and the judiciary during a public seminar . Al-Mutair was initially released on bail of 5,000 Kuwaiti dinars ($16,300) with a travel ban.
In a separate case, the Court of Appeal suspended the six-month prison sentence of former MP Abdullah Fahad, allowing his release on bail of 3,000 Kuwaiti dinars ($9,810). Fahad had been convicted by the Criminal Court of defaming the judiciary during a television interview, and both the show’s producer and director were each fined 500 Kuwaiti dinars ($1,635). Fahad returned to Kuwait on September 22 and surrendered to authorities, seeking an acquittal of the charges and annulment of his prison sentence.
In another prominent case, former MP Mohammad Al-Juwaihel remains in custody after the Court of Cassation rejected his request for suspension of his two-year and four-month prison sentence for insulting the Ajman tribe. The final ruling is expected on October 20. Initially, in April, Al-Juwaihel was sentenced to three years in prison with labor and a fine of 10,000 Kuwaiti dinars ($32,600) for his defamatory comments. In July, the Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to two years and four months with work.