Reliable reports received by the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) confirmed that blogger Salman Al-Khalidi was sentenced to another three years in prison in absentia in connection with his peaceful activities in the field of human rights. He had previously been sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour in a separate case in May 2023.

On 26 September 2023, the State Security Criminal Court issued its ruling against Al-Khalidi to an effective three-year prison term. The ruling was issued after he was convicted of the following alleged charges included in the court verdict, a copy of which was provided to GCHR: “intentionally broadcasting false and tendentious news and rumours abroad about the internal situation in the country using the Internet and through his personal account, insulting publicly and in a public place by saying and writing on the head of the state, and publishing anything that might prejudice the judiciary using his personal account.”

These allegations are related to his use of his account on X (formerly Twitter) to express his personal opinions on public issues of concern to citizens in Kuwait, and his defense of the civil and humanitarian rights of the Bedoon community, as well as of prisoners of conscience, in addition to his work as a founding member of the Kuwaiti Refugee Association. The headquarters of the Association, which was established in August 2022, are in the United Kingdom, where it holds activities.

In addition, local sources reported that the authorities formed a committee to study the possibility of stripping Al-Khalidi of his Kuwaiti citizenship, which he holds as he and his family were born in Kuwait. They are considering this harsh reprisal solely due tohis peaceful activities in the field of human rights.

GCHR documented previous cases against Al-Khalidi, including most recently when he was sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour on 15 May 2023. He was also sentenced to five years in prison with hard labour on 06 June 2022, but he was pardoned in that case by the Emir of Kuwait on 18 January 2023.

For more information about his case click here.

Al-Khalidi announced a hunger strike in front of the Kuwaiti embassy in the British capital, London, on 29 September 2023, to protest the multiple prison sentences issued against him, and to declare his solidarity with the Bedoon community and prisoners of conscience in Kuwait.

GCHR condemns the new three-year prison sentence issued against blogger Salman Al-Khalidi, which clearly and explicitly violates his legitimate right to freedom of expression on the Internet, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom to belong to and work in civil society organisations. GCHR calls on the authorities in Kuwait to stop targeting him immediately and to drop all sentences issued against him.

GCHR calls on the competent British authorities to provide him with full protection and grant him full political asylum as soon as possible.