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Kuwaiti court jails man for insulting emir on Twitter Kuwaiti court jails man for insulting emir on Twitter
(about 2 hours later)
A Kuwaiti court has sentenced a man to two years in prison for insulting the country's ruler on Twitter.A Kuwaiti court has sentenced a man to two years in prison for insulting the country's ruler on Twitter.
According to the verdict published by the online newspaper Alaan, a tweet written by Rashid Saleh al-Anzi in October "stabbed the rights and powers of the emir", Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.According to the verdict published by the online newspaper Alaan, a tweet written by Rashid Saleh al-Anzi in October "stabbed the rights and powers of the emir", Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.
Anzi, who has 5,700 Twitter followers, was expected to appeal, a lawyer following the case said.Anzi, who has 5,700 Twitter followers, was expected to appeal, a lawyer following the case said.
Kuwait has been taking a firmer line on politically sensitive comments aired on the internet. In June a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of endangering state security by insulting the prophet Muhammad and the Sunni Muslim rulers of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on social media.Kuwait has been taking a firmer line on politically sensitive comments aired on the internet. In June a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of endangering state security by insulting the prophet Muhammad and the Sunni Muslim rulers of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on social media.
Two months later Sheikh Meshaal al-Malik Al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, was detained over remarks on Twitter in which he accused authorities of corruption and called for political reform. Two months later Sheikh Meshaal al-Malik al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, was detained over remarks on Twitter in which he accused authorities of corruption and called for political reform.
Public demonstrations about local issues are common but Kuwait has avoided the Arab Spring-style mass unrest seen elsewhere in the region. Public demonstrations about local issues are common but Kuwait has avoided the Arab-spring-style mass unrest seen elsewhere in the region.