Youth group delays anti-government protest

Kuwaiti youth group The Fifth Fence has postponed an anti-government rally originally slated to take place on Tuesday after the interior minister stepped down from his post. The rally will be held on 8 March, according to statements posted on Twitter, the social networking site.

Leshonai

"As a youth group, we believe that the departure of this government is the only step that fulfills our demands," according to the statement posted late Monday.

Sheikh Jaber Khaled al-Sabah, the interior minister and a member of the ruling family of Kuwait, resigned over his responsibility for Mohammad Ghazzai al-Mutauri's death. A parliamentary probe indicated that the Kuwaiti man died last month after he was severely tortured for six days.

Al-Sabah was replaced by another member of the ruling family, Sheikh Ahmad Homud al-Sabah.

Al-Sabah was due to be questioned in parliament on Tuesday regarding al-Mutauri's death, but the questioning has been delayed for six weeks, angering opposition leaders.

"The appointment of a new interior minister is not enough," said Islamist MP Daifallah Buramia late Monday at a rally. "The problem is in the government and we must have a [new] government capable of leading the country," Buramia added.

The Fifth Fence denies the rally is linked to any external events, referring to the demonstrations still going on in Egypt.