The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) is following with great concern the deterioration of civil and political rights in Kuwait, and particularly the targeting of former parliamentarians by authorities. 

GCHR reported earlier how the current Kuwaiti authorities have increasingly weaponised the legal system against former parliamentarians and political activists. The parliamentarians were simply expressing their opinions on social media networks, demanding a revision to the decision of the Emir, Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad, to suspend the elected National Assembly in May 2024 for up to four years, and suspend Elements 3, 107, 174, and 181 of Article 56 of the 1962 Kuwait Constitution. They also called for an end to the suppression of public freedoms including freedom of expression on the Internet and beyond.

On 20 April 2025, the Court of Appel in Kuwait has finally issued its decisions on seven cases against five former parliamentarians and two former candidates during the last election of the dissolved National Assembly.

The court ordered the imprisonment of Anwar Al-Fikr for three years, Hamad Al-Olayan for two years, Hussain Al-Qallaf for two years, Walid Al-Tabtabaei for four years, and Mesaed Al-Quraifah for four years.

The court considered the cases as national security cases and charged them with insulting and interfering with the authorities and rights of the Emir. The court also sentenced Mesaed Al-Quraifah on charges of insulting the Emir, offending the Minister of Interior, and abusing the use of his phone.

The Court also sentenced Abdullah Fahhad to six months of imprisonment, with suspension of the sentence, for insulting the Jurisdiction. The Court decided to overturn the acquittal and refrain from pronouncing a sentence against Saadoun Hammad on the charges of paying for voters.

The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas published a statement that these decisions were in accordance with the penal code, which protects the Emir’s prestige from transgression or interference by issuing deterrent penalties.

On 18 May 2024, Al-Fikr was summoned by the Public Prosecution and detained for 21 days, after making statements in one of his campaigning events which were considered as impinging on the authorities of the Emir. He was then released on bail on 28 May 2024 but the Criminal Court decided to sentence him to three years in prison on 29 July 2024. On 09 September 2024, Al-Fikr was released on bail and placed under a travel ban after a decision by the Court of Appeal.

On 22 May 2024, the Criminal Court held a hearing during which it arbitrarily sentenced Al-Quraifa to four years’ imprisonment with hard labour after convicting him of “insulting the authority of the emirate” during a symposium at his electoral headquarters when he ran for the 2024 National Assembly elections. On 23 April 2024, Al-Quraifa was arrested after the Public Prosecution ordered his pretrial detention. Similarly, Hamad Al-Olayan was sentenced on the same charges, but Al-Quraifah remained in detention since his arrest.

GCHR condemns the sentencing against former parliamentarians and political activists and considers that it is clear evidence of the dire deterioration of the Kuwait political scene under the current government. It also reflects an alarming turn in Kuwait from a country that used to have relative representation of the public in political affairs to a police and autocratic state.

Recommendations

GCHR calls on the Kuwaiti authorities to overturn the unfair sentencing of the former parliamentarians, and adhere to the international legal standards and commitments of the country by restoring the rights of citizens for political participation and expression of opinions without reprisals.

In addition, GCHR calls on international parliamentarians to show solidarity and support to their fellow MPs and politicians in Kuwait by writing to the Kuwaiti government and Emir and advocate for their freedom.