Cassation Court finds defendants guilty, but refrains from issuing verdict
Court chose to exercise judicial leniency, deemed the circumstances of the case do not warrant imprisonment
The Court of Cassation has issued a final ruling in the case involving two lawyers accused of disseminating false information and rumors on social media targeting the Minister of Public Works, Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan.
The court decided to refrain from issuing a sentence, effectively overriding a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal that had sentenced the defendants to one year in prison.
The case stemmed from allegations that the two lawyers had used their social media platforms to spread unverified and defamatory claims about Minister Al-Mashaan, thereby undermining her reputation and violating laws related to misuse of communication networks and slander against public officials.
Unhappy with the appellate court’s decision, which convicted them and imposed a custodial sentence, the lawyers filed an appeal with the Court of Cassation — Kuwait’s highest judicial authority.
After reviewing the case and the submitted arguments, the court chose to exercise judicial leniency by refraining from pronouncing a punishment, a legal mechanism sometimes applied when the court deems that the circumstances of the case do not warrant imprisonment, despite finding the defendants guilty.
