KUWAIT CITY — We meet Musallam Al-Barrack, the former MP and leader of Kuwait’s opposition, on May 2 at his father’s home in al Andalus, a suburb on the outskirts of the city. Politics in Kuwait are often a nighttime affair, especially during the searing summer months. Al-Barrack’s home is a gathering point for the opposition, and on rally nights his dewaniya (reception hall), front garden and the surrounding area will be packed with thousands of his supporters.
On this humid night, however, only a handful of white-robed Kuwaitis mill about. We’re led down a staircase to a narrow office lined with poster-sized photos of Al-Barrack.
The Kuwaiti opposition’s focus has shifted in recent days from protest rallies to court cases. More than 25 activists have been arrested and are now facing fines and jail time for insulting the emir, mostly for posting comments on Twitter. Al-Barrack himself has been handed a five-year sentence for "undermining the status of the emir" over statements he made at an October 2012 political rally warning the emir against autocracy. The emir is inviolable under the Kuwait constitution. An appellate court will resume hearing Al-Barrack’s case on May 13.
At 10 p.m. precisely, Al-Barrack strides through the door, a train of advisers close on his heels. The opposition’s front man is known for his fiery speeches and willingness to say what the rest of Kuwait is thinking.
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