The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) strongly condemns the repeated attacks against Kuwaiti blogger and Internet activist Mohammed Rashid Al-Ajmi, 21 years old, by influential parties in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior, which forced him to leave his country on 06 June 2023. He fears for his life from the aggressors, whom the competent authorities did not do their duty to deter nor hold accountable.

On 13 June 2023, Al-Ajmi arrived at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, from Egypt, and told the Turkish security authorities upon his arrival of his desire to apply for political asylum in Turkey.

He was held in custody at Sabiha Gökçen Airport and was not allowed to enter the country. GCHR learned that he will officially apply for political asylum in Turkey today on 16 June 2023.

Al-Ajmi was previously targeted several times, the most recent of which was a physical attack against him in Kuwait on 05 October 2022, followed by another physical attack in Egypt this month, on 11 June 2023.

Al-Ajmi confirmed to GCHR that he has evidence that both attacks were carried out on orders issued by higher authorities in the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior.

GCHR believes that the reason behind the attacks on Al-Ajmi is his use of his Twitter account to express his views on public affairs in the country, in particular his rejection of rampant corruption in state facilities and his call for comprehensive reform.

GCHR declares its full solidarity with online activist Mohammed Rashid Al-Ajmi, and calls on international mechanisms, in particular the UN mechanisms, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to take immediate action to provide him with full protection. GCHR calls on the Turkish government to allow him to remain on Turkish soil and to grant him the right to political asylum with all the ensuing rights.