A former Kuwaiti lawmaker, one of eight convicted of storming parliament nearly eight years ago, had returned home from Turkey and turned himself in to authorities, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reported on Wednesday.
Fahad Al Khannah arrived on Tuesday escorted by his two sons at the Kuwait Airport where he was whisked away to serve a 3-1/2 jail term issued against him in the high-profile case.
He plans to make an apology and ask for pardon from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, according to the paper. The ex-lawmaker confirmed his return to Kuwait in a tweet. His family expressed hope that he will be pardoned.
“There is nothing embarrassing about asking for His Highness’ pardon. We are optimistic. The case has run for too long. We hope that things will be solved very soon,” his son Sultan said, according to Al Rai.
In 2011, dozens of opposition activists stormed the Kuwaiti legislature to demand the resignation of the country’s then prime minister over alleged corruption.
In July last year, Kuwait’s top appeals court sentenced eight incumbent and ex-lawmakers to 3 years and half each in connection to the case.
A number of Kuwaiti politicians and academics have reportedly signed a petition asking the His Highness the Amir to exercise his constitutional right and pardon political prisoners, including the eight.
