Manama: Kuwait’s cassation court has postponed the trial of Musallam Al Barrak to April 20 and refused to release him on bail.
The latest trial of the maverick opposition figure on Monday witnessed some drama after a rumour that the court was allowing him to go home spread like wildfire, prompting jubilation among his supporters.
However, a lawyer on his defence team later apologised, saying that the release claim was not true.
The lawyers had argued that it was safe to allow Al Barrak to go home and that he would not attempt to leave the country.
However, the court turned down the request and kept him in prison where he is serving a two-year sentenced pronounced by the court of appeals after it amended a five-year jail term ruled by the judges in a lower court.
Al Barrak was put on trial on charges of insulting the emir of Kuwait at a speech he gave in the capital’s main square in October 2012.
