Musallam Al-Barrak

Who is Musallam Al-Barrak?

Musallam Al-Barrak was a member of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, representing the fourth district. Born in January 30, 1956, Al-Barrak studied Arab literature and worked in the Municipal Council before being elected to the National Assembly in 1996. While political parties are technically illegal in Kuwait, Al-Barrak affiliates with the Popular Action Bloc.

As of 2012, Al-Barrak had been elected for six consecutive terms, making him the longest-serving member of parliament. In the February 2012 parliamentary election, Al-Barrak set a national record for the most votes received.

In 2011 and 2012, Al-Barrak played a leading role in popular protests calling for political reform. In April 2012, he was stripped of his parliamentary immunity by the National Assembly for participating in the storming of the parliament building by protesters. In October 2012, Al-Barrak made a speech in which he broke with Kuwaiti precedent by criticizing the Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah directly. He was arrested on 29 October for "undermining the status of the emir" and released on bail four days later. On 15 April, he was sentenced to five years in prison.