April 4, 2012 - 17:59 AMT
Kuwaiti Sheikha to sue MP over Armenian church construction claims

The sister of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad, the Emir of the State of Kuwait, President of the Kuwait Association for The Ideal Family Sheikha Freiha Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has decided to sue MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei for the recent statement he made wherein he accused her of supporting Armenian community in Kuwait to ensure that government allows them to construct a church, Arab Times reported.

In a press statement, the counsel to Sheikha Freiha Ali Al-Ali said his client will sue the lawmaker for defamation of character and vicious attack as she was only attempting to promote the country’s image regionally and internationally.

He explained that Armenian community in Kuwait wrote two letters to the Amir and the Prime Minister requesting permission to convert a building belonging to the community into a church.

He added that the community invited Sheikha Freiha for dinner during which she declared that all communities residing in Kuwait have rights and responsibilities according to the Constitution.

He pointed out that consistent defamation of ruling family members, who are involved in voluntary activities, has become a strange phenomenon in the country.

He agreed that the lawmakers have the constitutional right to monitor activities in the country, but acceptable criticism is different from defamation, which is what the transparent Kuwaiti judiciary will look into.