The Court of Cassation, presided over by Judge Mishal Al-Jarawi, acquitted former Secretary of the PAAET Faculty Association, Dr. Hussein Awad, and journalist Thamer Al-Saleem of defamation charges brought by the former Director General of the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET), Dr. Yaqoub Al-Rifai.
The court also ordered Al-Rifai to pay the legal costs and attorney's fees. Dr. Al-Rifai had filed a complaint against Awad and Al-Saleem, accusing them of defamation following an interview published ina local newspaper, which has since closed.
He demanded compensation of 10,002 Kuwaiti Dinars in two lawsuits he had filed against them. Before the court, attorney Mubarak Al-Tasha from Dar Al-Hikma Law Firm and attorney Dhari Al-Dhafiri from Abdulhamid Al-SarrafLaw Firm argued that the interview in question was not intended to defame or insult Dr. Al-Rifai, as he had claimed. Instead, its purpose was to bring the attention of officials to the need for his suspension and referral to the judiciary due to suspicions of forgery.
They further explained that the content of the article was a legitimate form of criticism, given that Dr. Al-Rifai was a public figure. The defense emphasized that Article 36 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of opinion and scientific research, granting every individual the right to express their views through speech, writing, or other means.
They argued that the publication of the article was intended to raise awareness of a public issue and criticize a position in the interest of public welfare. Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Awad and Al-Saleem, acquitting them of all charges.
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