In a continuation of their systematic policy of repression, Kuwaiti authorities are mobilising all available resources and tools to silence prominent blogger Mansoor Al-Muhareb, who through his peaceful writings advocates for citizens’ civil and human rights, while also staunchly opposing corruption.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) is closely monitoring his case, not only because the judiciary is being used as a tool to attempt to imprison him, but also as the authorities continue to target him even after he has fled Kuwait.

On 27 October 2024, the Criminal Court issued a ruling in absentia against Al-Muhareb, who lives abroad, sentencing him to two years in prison with hard labour in a complaint classified as a state security case, in which he was convicted of challenging the powers of the Emir of the country.

Al-Muhareb uses his account on the X website, which has a header saying “Kuwait is not for sale,” to express his personal opinions on daily issues that concern citizens, including the repressive policies pursued by the authorities in targeting civil society activists and bloggers.

Upon the verdict against him, he posted on X, “Commenting on the two-year prison sentence against me for stating that the dissolution of the National Assembly was unconstitutional: Where are the articles that allow the suspension of the Constitution or some of its articles in normal circumstances without a state of emergency and for a limited period? Does the State Security Law and its articles, which the dissolution appears to have been based on, take precedence over the articles of the Constitution?” The Emir of Kuwait, Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, dissolved the National Assembly and suspended certain articles of the Kuwaiti Constitution in May 2024.

It is worth noting that the State Security Apparatus charged him just three days after he posted a tweet addressing the unconstitutionality of dissolving the National Assembly – demonstrating that security agencies are deployed to strip citizens of their rights rather than to protect them.

On 01 November 2024, he posted on X, “The fate of Kuwait’s honourable people and loyal sons is either imprisonment or displacement.” He then added the hashtag: #Freedom_for_all_political_detainees_and_political_displaced

The authorities intensified their targeting of him, alongside direct threats delivered via mobile text messages or intermediaries, originating from the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Fahad Al-Yousef. These messages demanded that he cease his online writing, warning that imprisonment would otherwise be his fate.

After being targeted and receiving threats—conveyed through associates of Fahad Al-Yousef—regarding fabricated state security charges Al-Yousef intended to level against him, Al-Muharib was compelled to leave Kuwait in November 2023 and has recently settled in the United Kingdom.

Subsequently, in February 2025, a second case was filed against him, charging him with undermining the dignity of Minister of the Interior Fahad Al-Yousef by posting videos and statements critical of the minister on his X account. In a ruling issued that same month, the Criminal Court ordered him to pay 2,000 Kuwaiti dinars in compensation.

In May 2025, the Court of Appeal decided to increase the penalty, sentencing him to three years of imprisonment with hard labour and imposing a fine of 3,000 Kuwaiti dinars. The Court of Cassation upheld this final ruling in July 2025.

When Kuwaiti authorities, led by the State Security Agency, took note of the influence of Al-Muhareb’s X account (which boasts over 100,000 followers) and his continued expression of courageous views on daily issues affecting citizens, they illegally seized on 10 June 2026 his Kuwaiti SIM card linked to his social media accounts. This action constituted a flagrant violation of the privacy guarantees provided by the telecommunications service provider.

After seizing his personal SIM card, the authorities changed the login credentials for his social media accounts, deleted his Snapchat account, and took control of his X account. Al-Muhareb has contacted both X and Snapchat to recover his accounts, but to no avail so far.

Following the seizure of his original account, Al-Muhareb created a second X account, continuing to share his peaceful personal views and advocate for human rights. However, on 25 June 2026, the State Security Apparatus filed a complaint against him with X, using the original account they now controlled, alleging impersonation regarding the new account he had created.

GCHR declares its full solidarity with Mansoor Al-Muhareb, a prominent blogger and advocate for citizens’ rights in Kuwait who is at the forefront of calls for reform in his country. GCHR calls on the Kuwaiti authorities to immediately cease targeting him and to overturn all rulings issued against him based on fabricated charges.

The authorities in Kuwait must ensure, in all circumstances, that all human rights defenders are able to carry out their legitimate human rights work without fear of reprisal and without the imposition of restrictions, including judicial harassment.