Kuwait riot police break up opposition protest
KUWAIT CITY: Kuwaiti riot police dispersed hundreds of opposition protesters who rallied yesterday to demand the release of political prisoners and press for democratic reforms in the oil-rich Gulf state.
More than 500 activists gathered outside parliament in the capital Kuwait City for the third week in a row after authorities jailed opposition leader and former lawmaker Mussallam al-Barrak for allegedly insulting the emir.
The previous two gatherings were peaceful and passed off without police interference.
But as a few dozen protesters marched towards parliament on Monday, police used batons to beat activists, forcing them to disperse.
Kuwait National Committee for Monitoring Violations, a private rights group, said on Twitter that several protesters were hurt and others were arrested.
Earlier in the day, the interior ministry had warned protesters to abide by a law that regulates rallies.
The Kuwaiti opposition has stepped up its demands for the dissolution of the parliament and government and the scrapping of a controversial electoral law. Since tens of thousands took to the streets in 2012, Kuwaiti authorities have cracked down on the opposition.
Dozens have been tried and handed heavy jail terms. — AFP