A Word in Defense of MP Faisal Al-Meslem

Like Faisal or don’t like him (I personally lean towards passionately not liking him), but you can’t argue with his patriotism or fight against corruption. You can’t help but feel bad about the government’s decision to ban him from running for parliament again.

He was a religious fundamentalist MP, we can’t argue about that. But that was not all he was. He was also against corruption and government bribery. He had a strong voice, stance, and presence in the opposition’s fight against widespread public corruption; and for that he got disqualified and banned from running for Parliament.

We are not arguing against the judiciary or legal verdict that was handed out a few days ago. What were are protesting is the government’s blatant disregard to said verdict, and insistence on bending it to their foul and unethical ways, and punishing honest MPs in the likes of Al-Meslim.

For one to be refused or rejected the right to run for parliament, he or she must have violated or have been convicted of certain and clear crimes.

Al-Meslim was none of the above. Yet the government chose to eliminate and remove him despite his obvious lack of violation of electoral rules.

[Picture credit].