Kuwait's public prosecutor on Sunday extended the detention of 24 opposition activists for three weeks for storming parliament, as the oil-rich state appeared headed for a major showdown.
Political analysts said Kuwait, the first Gulf state to adopt a parliamentary system almost 50 years ago, faced an unprecedented collision between the government, led by the ruling royal family, and the opposition.
Seven other activists were freed on bail of 1,000 dinars ($3,600), Al-Humaidi al-Subaie, who heads the legal defence team of the activists, said in a statement. Thousands of supporters, meanwhile, camped outside the courts for a fourth night in a row in solidarity with the detainees ahead of an opposition mass rally on Monday to press for the government's resignation. The decision to extend their detention pending trial was announced after an all-night investigation.