Last month, former Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber Khaled al-Sabah submitted his resignation over torture allegations. Three lawmakers asked to question the minister over the death of a Kuwaiti man who died in police custody, but a date for the questioning has yet to be set.

The state news agency KUNA confirmed the acceptance of the resignation and the nomination of Sheikh Ahmed a-Hamoud as the new interior minister, without giving details.

Kuwait's parliament, the most outspoken in the region, frequently questions ministers, sometimes provoking cabinet resignations or reshuffles that have delayed economic reform bills, including the creation of a markets regulator.

An interior ministry forensics report had said there was evidence of "criminal activity" in the death of the Kuwaiti man after police detained him on suspicion of illegal possession of alcohol.

In 2009, Sheikh Jaber survived a no-confidence vote in parliament, the second he had faced that year, after he was accused of misleading legislators about electoral violations.