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Protesters cleared over storming of Kuwaiti parliament Kuwait protesters cleared over storming of parliament
(about 13 hours later)
Seventy opposition activists, including nine former MPs, have been acquitted on charges relating to the storming of the Kuwaiti parliament in 2011.Seventy opposition activists, including nine former MPs, have been acquitted on charges relating to the storming of the Kuwaiti parliament in 2011.
Hundreds entered the building after a protest demanding that then-PM Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah step down.Hundreds entered the building after a protest demanding that then-PM Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah step down.
Demonstrators had been protesting weekly outside parliament over alleged corruption. The ruling by judge Hisham Abdullah said "all the defendants were found not guilty".
Sheikh Nasser resigned two weeks later, a new government was formed, and fresh elections were held. The defendants had argued that they had no criminal intent, but were compelled to protest over alleged corruption.
The Emir's nephew had been under pressure over allegations that 15 MPs were paid bribes to support the government. Sheikh Nasser resigned two weeks after the 16 November 2011 incident.
He had been in office for five years and presided over seven different governments during that period. Shortly afterwards, Kuwait's emir dissolved parliament and fresh elections were held.
Political freedomsPolitical freedoms
"All the defendants were found not guilty" of the 16 November 2011 incident, said the ruling by judge Hisham Abdullah.
According to reports at the time, the demonstrators broke open the gates to the parliament building and managed to enter the main chamber, where they sang the national anthem and then left a short time later.According to reports at the time, the demonstrators broke open the gates to the parliament building and managed to enter the main chamber, where they sang the national anthem and then left a short time later.
Kuwait's parliament is one of the few elected bodies in the Gulf.Kuwait's parliament is one of the few elected bodies in the Gulf.
Kuwait did not experience the kind of mass protests that toppled former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Tunisia's Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali.Kuwait did not experience the kind of mass protests that toppled former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Tunisia's Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali.
But opposition groups were angered by claims of corruption among Kuwait's leadership and perceived attempts to roll back political freedoms.But opposition groups were angered by claims of corruption among Kuwait's leadership and perceived attempts to roll back political freedoms.
'Major victory'
The BBC's Sumaya Bakhsh in Kuwait City says the Kuwaiti opposition has been celebrating what it considers a major victory following Monday's verdict.
Many activists and opposition figures have taken to social media to voice their open criticism of MPs, lawyers and other prominent figures who had condemned the activists accused of storming the parliament.
Members of the opposition have already begun to voice renewed calls for political reforms in the wake of the verdict and are now regrouping to continue their pursuit of a fully functioning democracy in Kuwait, our correspondent says.