Kuwait detained US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin for 52 days, then revoked his and his sisters' citizenship days after a judge acquitted him of the lead charge
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Kuwaiti authorities arrested American-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin on 3 March 2026 over his social-media commentary on the Iran war and held him 52 days on charges of spreading false information, harming national security and misusing his phone, according to the WSJ and CPJ. A judge acquitted him of the false-information charge on 23 April 2026 and imposed a six-month good-conduct pledge without bail on the others; he left Kuwait around 24 April. CPJ reported on 29 April 2026 that Kuwait had revoked the citizenship of Shihab-Eldin and his two sisters. His lawyers, who are appealing, say he suffered repeated, grave violations of his fundamental rights.
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- The Wall Street Journal
freed after 52 days of detention in Kuwait
1 source
- Committee to Protect Journalists
Kuwaiti authorities revoked his citizenship and that of his two sisters on 29 April 2026
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