Cleric Rifai accused of violating nationality law
Woman granted custody of children
By Jaber Al-Hamoud
KUWAIT CITY, Dec 14: Lawyer Mohammad Abbas has submitted a petition at the Public Prosecution against a cleric Fuad Al-Rifai, accusing the latter of violating the national unity law.
He based his accusation on blogs and video clips posted on social media that can be regarded as malicious against Kuwaiti Shiites and their faith.
In the petition, Lawyer Abbas accused the cleric of posting statements wherein he described Hussainiyat as an innovation and stressing that every innovation amounts to straying from the right path and that straying leads to hell. He said Hussainiyat is a place where pious people gather and discuss the life history of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his family and disciples. He stated that Shiites in Kuwait also use it as places for festivities, adding some of them are over 100 years old and represent an age-long tradition in the society.
Lawyer Abbas stressed that Article 1 of Law No. 19/2012 criminalizes any form of agitation and incitement of public through any means. He also cited Article 29 of Law No. 31/1970 with amended provisions in the penal law concerning hatred and disdain towards any sect, initiating sectarian or tribal crises, and publishing ideologies to encourage racial, class or group discrimination.
The Family Court presided over by Judge Meshal Al-Sneedah has granted a woman the custody of her two children and ordered her estranged husband (the father of the two children) to pay monthly expenses of KD 130 for the care of both children starting from the date the lawsuit was filed. The court also ordered the man to pay the housemaid’s monthly wage of KD 70 from the same date and the recruitment cost of KD 500, as well as monthly rent of KD 120 from the same date and the legal fees.
The plaintiff counsel Lawyer Mohammad Khalil Al-Qattan who filed the case on behalf of his client, said she was married to the defendant and had two children with him. She is currently nursing the children to which she has legitimate right. However, the estranged husband refused to pay for their expenses despite his financial stability and comfortable lifestyle.