Kuwaiti Royal Gets Death for Killing Nephew

Kuwait's lower court on Thursday sentenced to death a member of the Gulf state's ruling family for killing his nephew, also a royal, a court statement said.

Sheikh Faisal Abdullah al-Sabah was convicted of shooting Sheikh Basil Salem al-Sabah to death at the latter's palace in June 2010, the statement said, apparently over a dispute on board membership in a sports club.

Verdicts in Kuwait are issued in writing.

The verdict must be upheld by the appeals and supreme courts to become final.

If confirmed, the sentence must be signed by the country's ruler in order to be carried out.

Sheikh Basil is the grandson of late former emir Sheikh Sabah Salem al-Sabah and the son of late minister of defense and interior Sheikh Salem al-Sabah.

Kuwait, where death sentences are carried out by hanging, has had no executions since 2007 although a large number of prisoners are currently on death row.

Authorities have given no reason for this.