Kuwait court hands Salman Al Khalidi 15-year sentence in state security case

Dubai: Kuwait’s Criminal Court has sentenced Kuwaiti national Salman Al Khalidi to 15 years in prison with hard labour, to be followed by deportation, in a state security case, local media reported.

The court convicted Al Khalidi of deliberately undermining the authority of the Emir through posts on the social media platform X, as well as intentionally using social media to insult and offend. He denied the charges, while his lawyer requested additional time to review and copy the case files.

In May 2025, the Criminal Court had previously upheld a five-year prison sentence against Al Khalidi after convicting him of insulting the Emir and spreading false news.

The court appointed a defence lawyer for Al Khalidi after he was referred for psychiatric assessment. According to media reports, medical officials confirmed that he was mentally competent and fully responsible for his actions.

In its ruling, the court stressed that protecting Kuwait’s supreme national interests helps preserve its standing and prestige, reinforces its ability to uphold the rule of law, and requires firm action against violators without leniency.

According to a statement issued by Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior in January 2025, Al Khalidi fled the country in December 2023 after 11 enforceable prison sentences had been issued against him.

Security services later tracked his presence in Iraq, where a specialised team from the Arab and International Criminal Police Department (Interpol) coordinated with Iraqi authorities and the Kuwaiti embassy. He was arrested before he could escape again and was subsequently extradited to Kuwait to face legal proceedings.

Kuwaiti authorities received Al Khalidi from Iraq in early 2025. He was tried in several cases, the latest of which resulted in the Criminal Court upholding his 15-year prison sentence and ordering his deportation after serving his term. Al Khalidi was stripped of his Kuwaiti nationality in April 2024 upon an Emiri decree.