Mohammed Al-Sanousi

Mohammed Nasser Al-Sanousi AKA Mohammed Sanousi
Born 1936
Kuwait
Religion Islam
Spouse(s) Basema Suliman Shammas

Mohammed Sanousi or Mohammed Nasser Al-Sanousi (Arabic: محمد ناصر السنعوسي ‎, born c. 1936)[1] is a Kuwaiti director, producer, media personality and politician who served for eight months as Kuwait's Minister of Information, taking the post in April 2006 and resigning on 17 December.

Al-Sanousi assumed the post following the resignation of Anas Al-Reshaid. Al-Sanousi became a controversial figure during the 2006 parliamentary election, during which he ordered several satellite television channels supporting opposition parties to be taken off the air.[2] MP Mohammed Al-Sager pledged that the opposition bloc would not allow Al-Sanousi to be reappointed due to restrictions he had allegedly placed on press freedoms.[3] Islamist MP Faisal Al-Muslim stated that Al-Sanousi's actions had been "against the principles of freedom, and against the constitution that guarantees freedom of speech, expression and publication".[2]

Al-Sanousi resigned on 17 December 2006, one day before he was due to be grilled by parliament. Opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak suggested Al-Sanousi had been forced to quit, calling it "a victory for the constitution, democracy and freedom".[2] The Kuwait Times described Ministry of Information employees as giving a "sigh of relief" at the resignation, alleging that Al-Sanousi had been unpopular in his ministry since firing some employees early in his tenure.[4]

In April 2012, Al-Sanousi was given the "Arab award for media creativity" of the 9th Arab Media Forum, hosted in Kuwait.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Kuwait's emir swears in new information chief amid election row". Monsters and Critics. 14 May 2006. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 B. Izzak (18 December 2006). "Sanousi makes backdoor exit". Kuwait Times.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  3. ↑ Ahmad Al-Khaled (5 July 2006). "Lawmakers want 'clean' ministers". Kuwait Times.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "Information Ministry employees sigh in relief with Sanousi out". Kuwait Times.  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . 19 December 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Kuwait PM calls for backing 'wide, responsible' media". Kuwait News Agency  – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) . 30 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.