Kuwait's highest court on Saturday rejected a petition to grant full political rights to the emirate's women, in the sixth such ruling in less than a year, reported AFP.
The case was brought before the constitutional court by two women activists, Lowlowa al-Mulla and Hind al-Shalfan, who sued the interior ministry for refusing to enroll their names as voters in February 2000.
Chief Justice Abdullah al-Issa, presiding over the five-judge panel, read the ruling and dismissed the case, in a one-minute session attended by several women activists and their supporters, said the agency.
The constitutional court, whose verdicts are final, has in the past nine months rejected five similar cases, all on procedural grounds.
The Kuwaiti constitution stipulates equality between men and women, but the electoral law states than only men have the right to vote and run for public office.
In May 1999, Kuwait’s emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah decreed that women could vote in the next election, to be held in 2003.
The parliament rejected the decree and a similar parliamentary proposal in November.
In February 2000, a number of women tried to register their names on the electoral roll but were turned away – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
