Mohammed Al-Sager
Encyclopedia
Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager (born 18 June 1951; ) is an award-winning journalist, former member of the National Assembly of Kuwait
, and former chairman of the Arab Parliament
.
(California, US) in 1975. He then worked for five years at the Industrial Bank of Kuwait
, where he became Corporate Finance Manager. In 1980, he left the bank to become Chairman and Managing Director of Coast Investment & Development Co.
(English
: "The Firebrand"), a daily newspaper. He continued in the role until his election to Parliament in 1999. In 1992 he was awarded the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists
"for courageous reporting on political and human rights issues in the face of government threats of censorship and prosecution".
Along with colleague Ibrahim Marzouk, he was sentenced to six months in prison in 1998 on charges of "insulting the essence of the Divine Being", following the publication of a joke on Al-Qabas' s "Entertainment" page: "Why did God expel Adam and Eve from paradise? Because they did not pay the rent." The newspaper was also closed for one week. The Committee to Protect Journalists protested the men's sentences, which were overturned by an appeals court in January 1999.
party.
From 2005 to 2009, he also served as Chairman of the Arab Parliament, in which role he worked with King Abdullah
of Saudi Arabia and President Hosni Mubarak
of Egypt to promote a reconciliation between battling Palestinian factions
Hamas
and Fatah
. Al-Sager is also a member of the General Secretariat of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations
.
In May 2009, Al-Sager joined several other Kuwaiti MPs in declining to run for re-election to the Kuwaiti National Assembly. Al-Sager stated that he believed the next parliament would "also fail to implement the awaited reforms", these being an economic stimulus bill and a boost to the country's infrastructure
.
National Assembly of Kuwait
The National Assembly of Kuwait, known as the Majlis Al-Umma , is the legislature of Kuwait. The current speaker of the Assembly is Jassem Al-Kharafi. The Emir unconstitutionally dissolved the National Assembly in 1986 and restored it after the Gulf War in 1992...
, and former chairman of the Arab Parliament
Arab Parliament
At the Arab League Summit of 2001-Amman, the Arab states agreed to create an Arab Parliament, and came up with a resolution to give the Secretary General of the Arab League the power to start and create the Parliament...
.
Background
Al-Sager received a Bachelor's degree in economics from Whittier CollegeWhittier College
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...
(California, US) in 1975. He then worked for five years at the Industrial Bank of Kuwait
Industrial Bank of Kuwait
The Industrial Bank of Kuwait was established in 1973 in the State of Kuwait by the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Kuwait and other large local industrial firms. Their primary objective is to nurish the local industry....
, where he became Corporate Finance Manager. In 1980, he left the bank to become Chairman and Managing Director of Coast Investment & Development Co.
Journalism
In 1983 he began working as a journalist, serving as editor-in-chief of Al-QabasAl-Qabas
Al-Qabas is a daily Kuwaiti newspaper published by Dār al-Qabas lil-ṣaḥāfah wa al-ṭibāʿah wa al-nashr. The paper's editor, Mohammed Al-Sager, is a winner of the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists "for courageous reporting on political and human rights...
(English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: "The Firebrand"), a daily newspaper. He continued in the role until his election to Parliament in 1999. In 1992 he was awarded the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
"for courageous reporting on political and human rights issues in the face of government threats of censorship and prosecution".
Along with colleague Ibrahim Marzouk, he was sentenced to six months in prison in 1998 on charges of "insulting the essence of the Divine Being", following the publication of a joke on Al-Qabas
Political career
Al-Sager served in the National Assembly of Kuwait from 1999 to 2009. While political parties are technically illegal in Kuwait, Al-Sager affiliates with the liberal National Democratic AllianceNational Democratic Alliance (Kuwait)
The National Democratic Alliance is a liberal political bloc in Kuwait. Of the fifty elected members of Kuwait National Assembly, two belong to the NDA: Mohammed Al-Abduljader and Mohammed Al-Sager...
party.
From 2005 to 2009, he also served as Chairman of the Arab Parliament, in which role he worked with King Abdullah
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
of Saudi Arabia and President Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
of Egypt to promote a reconciliation between battling Palestinian factions
Fatah–Hamas conflict
The Fatah–Hamas conflict , also referred to as the Palestinian Civil War , and the Conflict of Brothers , i.e...
Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
and Fatah
Fatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
. Al-Sager is also a member of the General Secretariat of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
.
In May 2009, Al-Sager joined several other Kuwaiti MPs in declining to run for re-election to the Kuwaiti National Assembly. Al-Sager stated that he believed the next parliament would "also fail to implement the awaited reforms", these being an economic stimulus bill and a boost to the country's infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
.