Justice of the Kuwaiti Judiciary
Useful Summary
The judge called the defendant’s name, and an elderly, disabled woman approached him. Shame was clearly visible on her face. When the judge looked at her, the mother began to cry because her son was imprisoned for drug use. The judge asked the mother, “Where is your son’s lawyer?”
The mother replied, “He left me and walked away, Your Honor.” After a moment of hesitation, she added, “He is my only son. He is the one who cares for me, carries me, and washes my feet.” Tears then streamed down her eyes.
The judge smiled and asked, “He certainly won’t hurt you, right?”
The mother: “No, by God…” and she began to cry again.
The judge: “Is he… respectful to you?”
The mother: “By God, he is very respectful to me.”
The judge: “Alright… won’t he do it again?”
The mother: “No, he won’t do it again.”
The judge: “What do you think? Shall we call the lawyer?”
The mother: “No, let him dismiss the lawyer. May God grant you long life, and long life to the judges working with you.”
The judge, smiling and addressing the mother, said, “We will let him go… and this afternoon, God willing, your son will be with you.”
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Political Analysis
The mother raised her hands to the sky, praying for the court’s success, as joy and happiness filled her heart. The courtroom echoed with voices of celebration, and the scene was emotionally moving for those present.
This incident was handled by “the human judge,” Mohammed Ghazi Al-Mutairi, along with his advisory panel members, counselors Fawzan Al-Fawzan and Ehab Al-Banna. In a side comment to the media, counselor Fawzan Al-Fawzan stated, “A judge is not an executioner; his role is to reform society and deter people from violating the law.”
Another judicial source, commenting on the incident, said, “As soon as we see a father crying with his son, or a mother with her child, this sight is the greatest punishment for the defendant. If he is a man, he will be shaken and will not repeat his act due to his parents’ reaction.”
At another time, an elderly woman stood before a judge in a case involving her son, who had filed a lawsuit against her to evict her from the house. The mother cried before the judge, saying, “Let him wait for me until I die, for there is little time left in my life.” Lawyers commented on what happened, stating, “The son has the legal right to sell the house, but mercy is higher than the law in this case.”
After studying the case, the court ruled in favor of the elderly mother, ordering the sale to be halted for five years. Before issuing his verdict, the judge addressed the son, saying, “I will say a word to you, and remember it well: ‘This is your mother. As you judge, so shall you be judged.’”
There is no doubt that the judge’s ruling here was a fair, humanistic one. Perhaps the son will return to his senses and show compassion for his mother’s weakness. Perhaps the mother will pass away to her Creator. Perhaps the son will die before his mother. But what is certain is that “as you judge, so shall you be judged,” meaning that the punishment fits the crime. Just as you treat others, you will be treated one day.
We can conclude from this story that shock affects humans (the son in this case) and can lead to positive change. Shock can awaken emotions in a person and prompt deep reflection, leading to a positive transformation in personality. Mike Tyson, the American boxing champion, used to use drugs. However, when his four-year-old daughter died in 2009, the impact of the tragedy was extremely painful for him. His behavior changed significantly in a positive direction; he chose to live a better life for his family.
