Kuwaiti MPs to question premier over Iran cleric
Accusing him of violating “religious rules”
Three Kuwaiti MPs said on Sunday they would seek to question the prime minister over a visit by an Iranian Shiite cleric, seen as controversial by local media, reviving a standoff between parliament and government.
Waleed al-Tabtabai, Mohammad al-Mutair and Mohammad Hayef, all Sunni Muslim lawmakers, said in a joint statement that they will file the request on Monday.
The three Sunni Islamist deputies said they will present a motion to question Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah over possible violation of "security restrictions and religious rules" by allowing the cleric to visit although he had been banned from entering the country.
Shiite cleric Mohammad Baqer al-Fali arrived in Kuwait from Tehran on Thursday and was detained briefly before he was released and allowed to stay in the country.
The MPs claim that al-Fali is banned from entering the Gulf country after a Kuwait court convicted him of insulting some of the Prophet Mohammad's companions who are revered by Sunni Muslims but not by Shiites.
The cleric was fined KD10,000 ($37,000) by a lower court in June. The appeals court is due to rule on the case next month.
Muslims comprise around 85 percent of Kuwait's population, with Sunnis accounting for around 70 percent and Shiites 30 percent of that.
Parliament has a history of challenging the government. Questioning of members of the government has in the past led to non-confidence motions and resignations of ministers.
Three weeks ago, a liberal-leaning MP threatened to grill the prime minister, a nephew of the ruler, over his management of the economic crisis and claims of misappropriation of funds. He has however suspended his threat for three months.
The emir dissolved parliament in March after a row between deputies and the cabinet but tensions between the house and the cabinet persisted.