Kuwaiti call for blasphemy death sentence

Kuwaiti MPs have voted for a legal amendment that could make insulting God and the Prophet Muhammad punishable by death, after a case of suspected blasphemy on Twitter caused uproar in the Gulf Arab state.

The amendment, which would need the approval of the country’s ruler before becoming law, was backed by 46 votes to four. Those in favour included all 15 members of the cabinet.

Blasphemy is illegal in Kuwait under a 1961 publications law and at present carries a jail term, the length of which depends on the severity of the comments.

Islamist MPs proposed toughening the law last month after authorities arrested a Kuwaiti man they said had defamed the Prophet, his companions and his wife on Twitter.

The man, Hamad al-Naqi, has told police his account was hacked and he did not post the comments. He is now in pre-trial detention.

Dozens of Sunni activists staged protests to condemn Naqi, who is from Kuwait’s Shiite minority. Some MPs have called for him to be executed.