A key Kuwaiti opposition leader Musallam al-Barrak has been arrested following accusations that he undermined the rule of the country’s emir at a public rally held on 15 October.

Al-Barrak is the latest former member of parliament to be arrested for his criticism of the emir’s decision to change the electoral law that would reduce the number of candidates a voter can elect from four to one.

Kuwait’s legislative elections are due to take place on 1 December, but many opposition members are expected to boycott the elections.

In June, the country’s constitutional court ruled that elections held in in February were invalid and re-established a parliament that had been previously dissolved in December 2011. The February elections had seen significant wins by Islamist candidates.