Kuwait’s Supreme Court jailed former MP Walid Al-Tabtabaei for four years for allegedly insulting the Emir.
Former MP Walid Al-Tabtabaei sentenced to four years in prison for criticising Kuwait’s Emir [AFP]
Kuwait’s Supreme Court has sentenced former member of parliament Walid Al-Tabtabaei to four years in prison after convicting him of insulting the Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, through posts on social media.
Al-Tabtabaei, known for his outspoken political views, was prosecuted over statements perceived as critical of the Emir’s recent decisions, particularly his constitutional amendments and the dissolution of the National Assembly.
In February 2024, Sheikh Mishal dissolved parliament and suspended several constitutional articles, citing what he called repeated violations by lawmakers. While the government framed the move as a necessary intervention to restore political order, critics saw it as an effort to centralise power and silence opposition.
Following an investigation into Al-Tabtabaei’s online activity, prosecutors accused him of undermining the authority of the Emir and spreading misinformation. Despite his defence that his comments were an exercise of free speech, the court ruled that they violated laws protecting the Emir’s stature and authority.
His conviction comes amid a growing clampdown on political dissent in Kuwait. Several individuals have been prosecuted or imprisoned for voicing opposition to the government or its regional allies, raising alarm among human rights organisations.
Rights groups have warned that Al-Tabtabaei’s sentencing sets a troubling precedent for freedom of expression and political participation in the country.
In a related case, controversy erupted in January over the extradition of Kuwaiti opposition figure Salman al-Khalidi from Iraq. Al-Khalidi, who had posted critical remarks about the Emir and the ruling family, was reportedly visiting Iraq as a tourist when he was detained and returned to Kuwait. Human rights advocates condemned the extradition as a violation of international law and Interpol’s constitution, which prohibits politically motivated arrests.
Kuwait has also previously sentenced several figures to lengthy prison terms over criticism of its Gulf allies. In 2017, activist Abdullah al-Saleh received a five-year sentence for allegedly insulting Saudi Arabia. In 2016, MP Abdulhameed Dashti was sentenced in absentia to 14.5 years for comments critical of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. In 2015, Abdulrahman Alajmi was sentenced to four years for similar charges.
