Kuwait upholds prison sentence for opposition leader

A Kuwaiti court has rejected an appeal against a opposition leader and former MP's two-year prison sentence.

The Court of Cassation on Monday rejected the appeal from
Musallam al-Barrak, who was found guilty of insulting the emir, Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, in a speech he made in 2012.

The opposition leader was released on bail two weeks ago after his defence team filed the appeal. Barrak has already spent six weeks in prison.

While on bail, Barrak said he would continue his political but not electoral struggle. He also said he had become certain in prison that "cowards do not make history" and freedom is more precious that life.

The former MP is 58 years old. He won in the 2012 legislative election as part of the Popular Bloc, and is considered a staunch oppositionist.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.