Kuwait sentences four to three year in prison for sectarian incitement, acquits eight

Kuwait’s State Security and Terrorism Crimes Circuit at the Criminal Court has sentenced four people to three years in prison for fuelling sectarian strife on social media platforms.

The court acquitted eight defendants and refrained from punishing 50 others in cases linked to sectarian incitement on social media, placing them under good conduct pledges and financial guarantees ranging from KD1,000 to KD3,000, with mobile phones confiscated.

Last week, the court jailed 17 people for three years with hard labour on charges including incitement, sympathising with a hostile state and spreading false information online, and ordered the deportation of two expatriates after serving their terms.

In a separate ruling, a tweeter was sentenced to 10 years with hard labour for similar offences. The court stressed such actions breach national duty, calling for unity and support for state institutions.