Kuwait Times

Published Date: April 17, 2009
By B Izzak, Staff writer

KUWAIT: Police arrested yesterday former Islamist MP Daifallah Buramia for remarks he allegedly made criticizing acting prime minister and defense minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. A police force comprising more than 20 vehicles and about 40 security men besieged the home of Buramia in Al-Andalus for a few hours before he emerged and took his own car to the police station. Buramia, who represented the fourth district in the last Assembly, said that all he did was criticize a public political figur
e and the arrest is unwarranted because authorities could have referred him to court for a fair trial.

Earlier this week, Buramia told a public rally that Sheikh Jaber was not fit to become the next prime minister and that his appointment will trigger more political crises in the country. Buramia has been a member of the National Assembly since 2003 and has been very outspoken in his criticism of the government. He is expected to stay in state security custody until Sunday when he will be taken to the public prosecution for interrogation against charges of undermining the authority of the Amir and violating
the press and publications law.

A number of former MPs and politicians rushed to his house and decided to hold a public rally later yesterday in his support. They strongly criticized the police action as a violation of the democratic principles.

Former MP Waleed Tabtabae said that there are satellite channels which insult MPs and democracy while the government does nothing against them. He said "the government asked us to go and complain in court. So if the government feels that some candidates are insulting it, then it should go to court to settle the dispute, not send State Security.

Former MP Hussein Quwaian, who was present at Buramia's house at the time of his arrest and expressed his condemnation of the arrest. "What's happening to Buramia is a policy of silencing rivals. Any charge must be dealt with within a framework of freedom of expression. I hope this will not deprive Buramia from his right to run for the elections," he said.

Last week, security forces arrested head of Kuwait Labor Union Khaled Al-Tahous for warning the interior minister that tribesmen will resist security forces if they tries to prevent tribes from holding tribal primary elections. He has been under police custody for nine days and his detention was renewed by the public prosecution until Sunday. The crackdown comes ahead of the early general polls to be held on May 16 after the Amir dissolved the national assembly last month following a dispute between the go
vernment and MPs.