Kuwait's Court of Cassation has ordered dozens of politicians, activists and others imprisoned over protesters storming parliament in 2011 to be freed on bail pending their appeal before the country’s highest court.
Judge Saleh al- Muraished ordered the release of 44 defendants who had been imprisoned for 84 days.
The Judge set the next hearing in the case for March 4.
The sentence goes back to when protesters stormed Kuwait’s Parliament in 2011 and briefly entered Parliament’s chambers amid attempts by opposition lawmakers to bring the prime minister for questioning over allegations that officials had embezzled government funds.
Among those released were MPs Jamaan al-Harbash and Waleed al-Tabtabaei, who were sentenced to 7 years in prison each, and MP Mohammad al-Mutair, who was sentenced to one year and arrived in Kuwait two days ago and gave himself up. They also included former MP and opposition leader Musallam al-Barrak and leading former MPs Faisal al-Muslim, and Mubarak al-Waalan.
Kuwaiti constitutional expert Mohammed al-Faily told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday that the release of the defendants "was likely to happen by the court".
According to the law, the court rules temporary release of the defendants, until the final verdict in this case.
He explained that the release is due the "court's confidence that defendants will remain inside the Kuwait, and not flee the country." He also added that the court is not afraid of their influence on the evidence.
"This is a temporary measure, which the judiciary system is following as long as it is at the level of appeal and cassation court has accepted the appeal," Faily added.
According to the constitutional expert, the acceptance of an appeal does not determine the final course for this case.
Despite the resignation of Sheikh Nasser a few days after the incident and the appointment of Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah as his successor, and holding parliamentary elections several times, the issue was still in the court. The court of first degree cleared the deputies and activists in December 2013.
Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, described the incident back then as "Black Wednesday", saying that "the attack on security men will not pass without accountability."
