A Bahraini MP has been sacked for the first time since parliament was formed in the kingdom 12 years ago.
An overwhelming majority of MPs (31 of 34 present) voted in a secret ballot on Tuesday to oust Osama Al Tamimi four weeks before National Assembly elections are due, Gulf Daily News reported.
On Monday, parliament’s legislative and legal affairs committee had recommended Al Tamimi be sacked for disrespecting parliament, insulting colleagues and improper conduct, following an investigation.
Al Tamimi had twice not turned up to committee meetings to discuss the allegations, claiming he was sick.
Details of the allegations have not been reported.
The unprecedented decision came after 25 MPs signed a petition to sack Al Tamami.
He is not expected to be replaced before the next election.
Al Tamimi had been voted into parliament during a 2011 by-election after 18 Al Wefaq MPs resigned amid violent protests against the Sunni-minority royal family.
Al Tamimi also was the first MP to be suspended when he insulted current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ghanim Al Buainain, who was then an MP, and threatened to hit him with his parliamentary booklet on October 18, 2011.
He also insulted female MP Sawsan Taqawi during lunch on the same day and was initially suspended for 20 sessions, but the punishment was later reduced to five.
More recently he forced the suspension of parliamentary proceedings after an argument broke out over comments he made about the condition of Bahrain’s jails.
The MP also torched the Israeli flag in parliament in November 2012, but avoided punishment after surviving a parliamentary vote.
Follow us on
