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Alerts - Kuwait

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Kuwait

Blogger sentenced to ten years in prison

Lawrence al-Rashidi was found guilty of "insulting the Prince and his powers in poems uploaded on YouTube."

Kuwait

Television station fined over 1.3 million euros

Scope TV was ordered to pay approximately 1,360,000 euros to the former information minister Sheikh Faisal Al-Malek Al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, for having broadcast a programme last October that the court deemed offensive to the royal family.

Kuwait

Security forces arrest 16 Bidun protesters

On 1 May, between 200 and 300 Bidun gathered near al-Sha’bi mosque in Taima’a to demand government action on their citizenship claims and resolution of their stateless status only to be met with force and arrests.

Kuwait

Authorities urged to reconsider death penalty amendment

The National Assembly voted in favour of a legal amendment which could make insulting God and the Prophet Mohammed punishable by death.

Kuwait

Writer sentenced to seven years' imprisonment

Mohamed al-Melify was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and a fine of 18 thousand dollars on charges of spreading false news about about sectarian divisions in the country as well as libeling MP Ahmed Lari.

Kuwait

News website blocked

Kuwait is not the first state that has blocked "al-Watan"'s website: it is blocked within Saudi Arabia and Syria, and was blocked in both Egypt and Tunisia during their revolutions.

Kuwait

Newspaper editor sentenced to six months' imprisonment

This harsh sentence given to Abdul Hussein Al-Sultan could have serious consequences for press freedom in a country which up to now had been a model of freedom of expression in the Persian Gulf region, says RSF.

Kuwait

Art exhibit raided, gallery closed down

Shorouk Amin's exhibit "World of a man" at the al-Mashreq gallery in the city of al-Salhiya was raided two hours after its opening by police forces, who seized all the paintings and closed down the gallery.

Kuwait

Daily suspended for "creating sectarian strife"

Authorities are urged to lift their suspension of "Al-Dar" and drop antistate charges lodged in connection with articles that sought to defend the country's Shiite minority, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Kuwait

Writer detained on libel charges

Mohamed al-Melify has been detained on charges of “spreading false news that would divide the society”, “offending the Shiite Twelver doctrine”, and “libeling the MP Ahmed Lari.”

Kuwait

Electoral campaign marred by attacks, prosecutions against media

Three daily papers and a television station are under threat of judicial proceedings launched by the information minister, Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah.

United Arab Emirates / Kuwait

"UAE 5" activist denied entry into Kuwait

Travelling with human rights lawyer Abdel Hameed AlKameety, Ahmed Mansoor was prevented from entering the country "on the instructions of the Emirati security service," and was threatened with detention.

Kuwait

Authorities urged not to deny the Bidun's right to freedom of expression

The Interior Ministry issued a statement on January 11, 2012, saying that it will not allow the Bidun "to organize any rallies, gatherings, sit-ins or demonstrations regardless of their nature, objective and mission."

Kuwait

Bidun residents, media personnel detained following protest

Riot police fired tear gas canisters and used water hoses to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who gathered to demand citizenship rights.

Kuwait

Short story collection banned

"Naked Thoughts" by author Yusuf Khalifa has been banned by the authorities since 2007 for "abusing the ethics of society".

Kuwait

Bloggers investigated for anti-monarchy posts

Hamad Al-Alian and Tarek Al-Materi had been detained earlier this month but were granted temporary release on the occasion of Eid. They have now been charged with "prejudice to the monarchical entity" on Twitter.

Kuwait

Call for release of jailed Internet scribes

State security authorities reportedly arrested Lawrence al-Rashidi after he posted a YouTube video calling for the emir to step down and accusing him of violating Kuwaitis' rights.

Kuwait

Blogger detained for criticising Saudi and Bahraini governments on Twitter

Authorities accused Nasser Abul of insulting allied countries, offending the prince, and exposing national unity to danger.

Kuwait

Dozens injured, arrested in Bidun crackdown

"The government should allow demonstrators to speak and assemble freely - as is their right," said Human Rights Watch.

Kuwait

Blogger freed after Supreme Court overturns conviction

Mohamed Abdel Qader Al-Jassem was convicted over an entry in his blog in which he accused Iranian intelligence services of meddling in Kuwait's affairs.

Kuwait

Information Ministry orders closure of two newspapers, satellite channel

The latest decision to close media outlets came only days after Al Jazeera's office was ordered closed, following broadcast of disputed material.

Kuwait

Local Al Jazeera office shut down

The broadcaster's office was closed and its journalists' licences revoked after it reported on a security raid against opposition MPs.

Kuwait

Journalist sentenced to year in jail; faces more than a dozen cases

"I know the peril of this article," wrote journalist Mohammed Abdulqader al-Jassem, in a story critical of the prime minister, "the interest and dignity of my country are more important to me than my own life."

Kuwait

TV station owner facing possible death penalty over comedy programme that parodied MPs

Scope TV was also overrun by a mob of some 150 people brandishing knives and pistols, according to RSF.

Kuwait

Thirty-five books banned from Kuwaiti Book Fair

The book fair administrators decided to ban the titles, claiming they were"contrary to the fair and state policies."

Kuwait

Kuwaiti PM starts legal proceedings against Egyptian editor

In May and June 2010, editor Ibrahim Eissa published articles about the legal pursuit of Kuwaiti journalists and the prime minister's failure to prevent this.

Kuwait

Journalist acquitted; activist released

ANHRI believes that the court was right in its decision to release the journalist and the activist as they were only exercising their legitimate right to free expression.

Kuwait

Political activist fined, sentenced to three months in jail

Khaled Al Fadala was convicted of "insult" and "libel" after the prime minister filed a complaint against him.

Kuwait

Journalist released on bail, CPJ calls on authorities to drop charges

CPJ is also alarmed by reports that the Ministry of Information will prosecute Al-Jazeera's office in Kuwait for violating a ban on local coverage of Mohammed Abdulqader al-Jassem's case.

Kuwait

Critical journalist ordered detained for 21 days

Opposition journalist Mohammed Abdulqader al-Jassem is charged with "instigating to overthrow the regime", among other accusations.

Kuwait

Journalist goes on hunger strike to protest harassment by authorities

Prosecutors are reportedly going through every article that Mohammed Abdel Qader al-Jassem has posted on his blog in the last five years.

Kuwait

Media prevented from covering dismantling of Iranian spy ring

"This ban constitutes a serious obstruction of investigative reporting, an essential component of quality journalism in a country that claims to be democratic," said RSF.

Kuwait

State Security arrests, deports Egyptian opposition supporters

Kuwait's State Security forces should stop arresting and deporting expatriate supporters of Egyptian opposition candidate Dr. Mohammad al-Baradei, says Human Rights Watch.

Kuwait

Journalist gets six-month jail term in continuing judicial harassment

Mohammed Abdel Qader Al-Jassem is currently the target of five lawsuits by the prime minister and information minister.

Kuwait

Courts fine member of parliament, journalist and two newspapers for articles critical of the prime minister

The heavy penalties have completely ruined the good image that the government has worked hard to establish, says ANHRI.

Kuwait

Political and religious thinkers barred from entering the country

The authorities should cease denying entry to visiting speakers solely on the basis of their opinions, says Human Rights Watch.

Kuwait

Draft amendments to press law threaten press freedom

The proposed changes would provide for prison sentences of one to two years for press offences and fines that could go as high as 100,000 dinars.

Kuwait

Journalist arrested over remarks made at a private social gathering

Muhammad Abd al-Qadir al-Jasim was arrested on 22 November 2009 on charges of libel and slander.

Kuwait

Anti-corruption journalist attacked

Photos of the journalist covered in blood have been placed on the website he publishes, with the caption: "Whatever you do, you will not prevent us from telling the truth."

Kuwait

Ministry of Transportation monitors blogs and websites

Bloggers attribute the monitoring of their sites to the fact that they are debating and reflecting upon real societal problems.

Egypt / Kuwait

Television comedy programmes banned in Egypt and Kuwait

The Kuwaiti and Egyptian authorities have banned two comedy programmes criticising government officials in each country.

Kuwait

Proposed Internet law aims to silence critical bloggers

(WAN/IFEX) - The following is an excerpt from WAN's 12 August 2008 APN newsletter:

Kuwait

Decree prohibits government employees from writing in newspapers

(ANHRI/IFEX) - The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information said on 12 July 2008 that the Kuwaiti government's issuing of a resolution to prevent official staff from writing in newspapers is a harsh blow to press freedom and freedom of expression, taking Kuwait back decades and violating several constitutional articles that ensure the freedoms of opinion and expression.

Kuwait

Upsurge in court cases against journalists despite decriminalisation of press offences

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders expressed its disquiet at an upsurge in cases being brought against journalists in Kuwait, despite the fact it was the first Gulf state to decriminalise press offences.

Kuwait

New law overly restricts peaceful expression of dissent, says HRinfo

(HRinfo/IFEX) - On 15 April 2008, HRinfo stated that the new law issued by the Kuwaiti government days before, which infringes on the right to organize gatherings or peaceful protests, is overly restrictive. The Ministry of the Interior approved the law even though it contradicts a 2006 ruling by the Kuwaiti Constitutional Court upholding the right of Kuwaiti citizens to gather peacefully.

Kuwait

More transgender people arrested, mistreated in detention as dress-code crackdown continues

(HRW/IFEX) - The Following is a Human Rights Watch press release:

Kuwait

Court strips two weekly newspapers of their licences, fines editors

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders deplores a Kuwait City criminal court's decision to withdraw the licences of two weekly newspapers, "Al-Abraj" and "Al-Shaab", in separate cases on 8 March 2008. The court fined "Al-Abraj" editor Mansur Ahmad Muhareb Al-Hayni and "Al-Shaab" editor Hamed Turki Abu Yabes 9,000 dinars (approx. 21,000 euros) each.

Kuwait

New censorship law threatens freedom of expression and opinion, says HRinfo

(HRinfo/IFEX) - On 6 February 2008, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) stated that the new website censorship law the Kuwaiti government intends to present to the parliament is contradictory to the dominant trend in most democratic countries, where an increase of freedom of expression, especially on the internet, is recommended.

Kuwait

Al-Jazeera sentenced to heavy fine for "defamation"

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders has condemned a 20,000 dinar fine (approx. 50,000 euros) imposed by a court in Kuwait City on 17 January 2008 on Qatar-based satellite TV, al-Jazeera, over a programme judged to have defamed Kuwait.

Kuwait

Fourteen jailed under new dress code, abused in prison; law violates free expression, targets the transgendered, warns Human Rights Watch

(HRW/IFEX) - The following is a Human Rights Watch press release:

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