World Bulletin / News Desk

A Kuwaiti appeals court on Monday overturned a five-year jail sentence handed to a prominent opposition politician convicted of insulting the ruling emir in a speech at a rally last year, a defence lawyer said.

Musallam al-Barrak's case, which sparked street protests, would continue at the appeals court early next month when the defence team will call witnesses, lawyer Mohammed Abdel Kadr al-Jassim said.

Barrak has been out on bail since he was sentenced in April.