Manama: Kuwait's criminal court on Monday ordered the release of writer and lawyer Mohammad Abdul Qader Al Jasem on a 2,000 Kuwaiti dinar (Dh25,102.7) bail and will review his case in September.
Jaser Al Jadei, his lawyer, said that the Kuwaiti people welcomed with great enthusiasm news of the release of Al Jassem following 49 days of detention.
"We thank all the people, writers and lawyers who stood by Al Jasem, as well as the regional organisations that supported him and called for his release," the lawyer who was quoted by Al Aan Kuwaiti news portal, said. The court made the decision to release him after reading a medical report which said that Al Jasem should not be detained on the grounds of his fragile health condition.
Faisal Al Qanai, the Secretary General of the Kuwait Journalists Association, said that Al Jasem's release reinforces confidence in the fairness and neutrality of the Kuwaiti judiciary.
"I do hope that the release will be welcomed by the international organisations promoting press freedom and which have been monitoring the case since its initial phase," he said. "It is very significant that Kuwait maintains its advanced status in the field of freedom of expression."
The association has repeatedly called for the release of the 54-year-old lawyer, writer and blogger who was sued by the Minister of the Royal Court and was charged with undermining the emir's status, attacking the regime and spreading false information damaging to Kuwait's national interests.
Several leading international human rights organisations have criticised the detention of Al Jasem, describing him as a prisoner of conscience.
