US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin acquitted; ruling expected to end 52-day detention
A Kuwait court has acquitted US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin of all charges, a ruling expected to end his 52-day detention that drew international concern about press freedom as authorities tightened controls on security-related speech. The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed the decision.
CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg expressed relief at the outcome, after what the organization described as a troubling case involving criminal charges linked to journalistic activity. Shihab-Eldin, an Emmy-nominated journalist, producer, and actor known for work with the New York Times, PBS, Al Jazeera English, VICE and HuffPost, was arrested on March 3 while visiting family in Kuwait.
Authorities reportedly charged him with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his phone. His arrest came during heightened military tensions, as Kuwait and other Gulf countries increased media censorship.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior warned against sharing material related to Iranian attacks, stating that individuals had already been detained for “false news.” The Ministry of Information also referred alleged media law violations to prosecutors.
Before his detention, Shihab-Eldin had posted publicly available footage related to escalating regional military tensions, including a CNN-verified video of a US fighter jet crash near a US base in Kuwait. Days later, on March 15, 2026, Kuwait enacted Decree-Law No.
13 of 2026, which imposes penalties of up to 10 years in prison for disseminating information about military entities deemed capable of undermining public confidence. Human rights monitors, including Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, have argued that Shihab-Eldin’s arrest was likely connected to his reporting on military developments and publicly available content.
Legal and human rights organizations have criticized the charges as overly broad and frequently used in ways that risk criminalizing journalistic work. Under international human rights law, restrictions on expression must be lawful, necessary, proportionate, and tied to a demonstrable security threat.
Reporters Without Borders notes that the state maintains significant control over information flows and that media outlets have previously been closed over critical coverage of government policy.
Amnesty International documented a pattern of repression of dissent in 2025, including arbitrary arrests, prosecutions for critical speech, and restrictions on public assembly, and it reported increasing use of cyber-crime and media laws to prosecute online expression, including criticism of state institutions.
Shihab-Eldin’s acquittal is expected to end his detention. Rights groups say the case will remain a touchstone for how Kuwait enforces the March 2026 decree and handles security-related speech going forward.