10 years for torture

KUWAIT CITY, April 23: The Court of Appeals sentenced three brothers to seven years in prison, and another defendant – the victim’s ex-husband – to 10 years in prison for detaining a female citizen in the basement of her family’s home for nine years, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

The court found the four defendants guilty of torture, deprivation of liberty, forgery, kidnapping and domestic violence; while it refrained from punishing three of the victim’s sisters.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court sentenced an “atheist” to twoyear imprisonment with hard labor and fined him KD 10,000 for insulting God and mocking Islamic religion and its rituals on social media.

In the rationale for its ruling, the court explained that there is no such thing as absolute freedom for any person. His freedom is restricted by religious and moral controls that are compatible with the nature of the society in which he lives. To the extent of respecting the freedoms of others, a person will exercise his freedom with responsibility and knowledge.

According to the case file, the defendant was accused of insulting God, ridiculing the true Islamic religion, and defaming its rituals through written and audio posts on social media.