Kuwait releases detained MP days after he's elected to parliament

A Kuwaiti court ordered the release of a newly elected parliamentarian on a bail of 100 Kuwaiti dinars.

Lawmaker Hamed Al-Bathali was sent to pre-trial detention on 29 September for involvement in an illegal tribal vote and spent 43 days in Kuwait's Central Prison.

He was released on Monday, local media reported.

Al-Bathali was released as the court had passed no ruling against him and he requested his release in order to take the constitutional oath, Al Qabas newspaper reported.

His supporters welcomed his release after a month of campaigning on his behalf.

"The heroes have freed me from prison to the parliament. The heroes are not defeated," he said.

Kuwait's parliamentary elections were held on 29 September and Al Bathali was among 50 elected candidates.

The elections came after Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolved parliament in August following disputes between lawmakers and the government.

Following the dissolution, Al-Sabah promised authorities would not interfere in the election or the new parliament.

Some opposition figures, who previously removed themselves from elections as they accused authorities of meddling in parliamentary matters, were encouraged to stand again following the crown prince's promises.