POLITICAL REFORMERS CRITICIZE GOK FOR CRACKDOWN ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002172

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KJUS KU ISLAMISTS
SUBJECT: POLITICAL REFORMERS CRITICIZE GOK FOR CRACKDOWN ON
ISLAMIST PARTY

REF: KUWAIT 405

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: The GOK has come under criticism from
prominent Kuwaitis for actions taken against members of the
recently established Salafi, Islamist Nation's Party (Hezb
Al-Ummah). All fifteen party founders were charged on May 2
with attempting to overthrow the government, violating laws
governing public gatherings, and violating press law. As the
party has openly called for the peaceful rotation of power,
the charges are widely viewed as warnings from the GOK to
those who would attempt to organize political parties that
the ruling Sabah family will not tolerate the dimunition of
its authority. End Summary.


2. (U) On May 2, more than three months after a
much-criticized press conference announcing the establishment
of the Nation's Party (reftel),the GOK brought charges
against the fifteen founding members for violating the Press
and Publications Law, violating the Public Gatherings Law,
and for forming a political party aimed at ultimately
overthrowing the state. The charge of attempting to
overthrow the state is a felony punishable by up to fifteen
years in prison. (Note: The press conference was held in the
diwaniya, or gathering room, of a party member. Such
meetings are specifically exempted from the Public Gatherings
Law. End Note.)


3. (U) The party's founders had been the focus of intense GOK
scrutiny since late January, when they were initially
summoned for questioning by Kuwait State Security and the
Public Prosecutor's office on grounds that they had not
requested a permit for their January 29 press conference.
The misdemeanor charge of violating the Press and
Publications Law was leveled because the group had sent a
letter to Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah requesting that he
enact political reforms. Upon release after the first
interrogation, all were temporarily prohibited from traveling
outside Kuwait. Nine members were subsequently interrogated
on May 3 for a reported nine hours and were freed only after
each paid KD 300 (approx. $1700) bail.

Liberals and Islamists Unite
--------------


4. (SBU) The GOK's actions, seen by many as a power play
aimed as much at stopping reform efforts as countering
Islamists, have been criticized by conservatives and
liberals. On May 4, a coalition of eight Liberal and Islamic
political groupings issued a joint statement accusing the GOK
of engaging in "oppressive action" against the party's
founders. "The groups affirm their rejection of these
oppressive measures and express their indignation at attempts
to restrict the party's political activity, which aims at
pushing forward the process of political reforms." Writing
in the local Arabic daily Al-Watan on May 7, columnist Nahar
Al-Mekrad called the GOK pursuit of the Nation's Party
founders "unjustifiable." While taking pains to point out he
does not condone the party's Islamist platform, he called on
the GOK to "deal with the popular political reality through
forbearance and an open mind.


5. (C) Notable liberals confirmed this point of view during
meetings with Poloff. Liberal columnist Ahmed Al-Deyain
noted that political parties were not illegal in Kuwait,
despite their prohibition by the GOK. He said that although
the State Security Law prohibits activities to overthrow the
state, charges by the GOK that the Nation,s Party had
undertaken any such activity were "weak accusations." Deyain
said the GOK had brought charges against the party,s members
after they had hosted seminars examining a number of current
political issues. Despite his personal misgivings about the
Nation,s Party platform, he said the party founders were
"courageous" in pushing for political reform in Kuwait.
Former Information Minister Sa'ad Bin Tefleh agreed, adding
that the legalization of parties and the rotation of power
were "essential" elements to any real democracy.

Nation's Party Claims it is Open to All
--------------


6. (U) The Nation's Party platform calls for the
establishment of an Islamic state, political pluralism and
the peaceful rotation of power. A statement issued by party
spokesman Ali Al-Qatani after the GOK leveled its charges
calls for political groupings to "reject these oppressive
measures and to work together towards political reform."
Although the party is comprised primarily of Salafi
Islamists, party founders, including former Secretary General
of the Salafi Movement Hakem Al-Mutairi, have claimed that
membership is non-sectarian and based solely upon ideological
agreement with the party platform. The party has reportedly
written a draft law governing the establishment of political
parties in Kuwait, and hopes to introduce in in the National
Assembly with the support of conservative MPs.


7. (U) Neither Kuwait's constitution nor its electoral law
ban political parties, and many de facto parties operate
freely and openly, often under the monikers 'forum,' 'bloc,'
'grouping,' or 'alliance.'


8. (C) Comment: Despite their democratic rhetoric to the
contrary, the Nation's Party is an ultra-conservative
organization that seeks to reestablish a Muslim caliphate
governed by religious law, and is decidedly anti-western. As
with other such organizations, it is unclear to what extent
it would adhere to its own calls for political tolerance
should it ever come to power. This, most likely, is the
reason that the GOK has dealt severely with the party to
date. End Comment.

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