Kuwaiti Faces Jail for Controversial Tweets

Protesters have gathered in Kuwait City to demand the release of Nasser Abul, a blogger facing 3 years in jail after he allegedly tweeted insults aimed at the kings of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Salafi branch of Sunni Islam. He has been accused of “state security” crimes for calling the Saudi king “only scum” and an “alcohol drinker,” comparing Bahrain’s ruling family with “Jews” and “pigs”, and equating Salafis to toilet slippers.

Abul maintains that his Twitter account was hacked, and his lawyer, Khalid Al Shatt, believes the ”case is a violation of the law and of freedom of speech,” which is guaranteed in the Kuwaiti constitution. Chairman of the Human Rights Committee MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan called for his release, contending that it “is unfortunate the blogger has remained in detention … while others are left by security forces to insult authorities as well as religious symbols and sects.”

Amnesty International echoed the call for Abul’s release, stating that “on the basis of the information available to it, Amnesty International believes Nasser Abul to be a prisoner of conscience detained for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and has been calling for his immediate and unconditional release.”