The court, to be chaired by judge Anwar Al-Enezi, has the powers to freeze the jail term against Barrak temporarily until a verdict is issued from the court.
But for the procedures to start, the former lawmaker must attend the court session and if the judge decides against freezing the jail term, Barrak will be arrested immediately and sent to jail pending the trial.
The lower court issued the harsh prison term against Barrak after convicting him that he has insulted the Amir and undermined his authorities in a speech he made at a public rally on October 15.
Police has so far failed to arrest Barrak who has repeatedly said that he is ready to go to jail anytime provided that authorities produce the original arrest warrant to him. Officials have said that authorities have produced the original warrant to Barrak’s lawyers and called on him to give himself up.
The court decision comes a day after the elite special forces fired tear gas and stun grenades during clashes Wednesday night with thousands of protesters, the first in about three months.
The activists marched on the Al-Andalus police station hours after the special forces raided the Diwaniya of Barrak and mistreated those present.
The health ministry said medics treated 15 people, including 12 policemen from wounds. Six of them, including four security men, were taken to hospital for further treatment. Activists however insist that the number of those wounded is much more because a majority of wounded protesters either went to hospital by private cars or were treated at a field clinic set up at Barrak’s Diwaniya.
Kuwait Society for Human Rights said 19 protesters were arrested including a rights activist who was monitoring the clashes and who was wounded “with rubber bullets” according to his lawyer Abdullah Al-Ahmad.
The interior ministry meanwhile strongly condemned in a statement protesters for resorting to violence and setting ablaze some public properties, adding that the security forces were forced to retailiate after they were attacked.
The statement warned that authorities will firmly confront any act of violence and any attempt to break the law, adding that security men arrested a number of people who are subjected to interrogation.
In the meantime, the national assembly yesterday issued a statement in which it condemned any attempt to insult the Amir whose status is protected under the constitution.
The statement also declared the assembly’s total support for His Highness the Amir and for the measures being adopted by the security forces to maintain law and order.
