Kuwaiti parliamentarians call for punishments based on Islamic Sharia

Kuwaiti dailies on Wednesday reported that Islamist parliamentarians have reiterated their demands to have against the penalty of cutting the hand or stoning in the Kuwaiti law.

The Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am said that Islamist parliamentarian Walid al-Tabatabi has submitted to the Nation's Council (Parliament) a draft sanctions law inspired by Islamic Sharia. His proposal was made following a campaign by Kuwaiti Islamist parliamentarians who repeatedly asked for the implementation of Islamic Sharia in their country and to adopt "physical torture" against certain crimes like "alcohol, rape, and adultery."

During the parliamentary elections held in October 1996, the Kuwaiti Islamists occupied 16 seats out of the 50 seats in the Parliament whereas pro-government parliamentarians won 30 seats and the liberals took 4 seats.

Kuwaiti is the only Arab Gulf state which enjoys an elected parliament. But Kuwaiti women have no right to nominate themselves nor to vote.