Gag on Kuwiti blogger case not lifted despite his release

Manama: A gag on news about the case a Kuwaiti blogger and lawyer has not been lifted despite his release following a 49-day detention period.

Mohammad Al Jassem was allowed to go home pending his trial in September, but the public prosecutor said that the gag imposed on the print, audio and visual reporting on his case remains.

Al Jassem, 54, was sued by the Minister of the Royal Court and was charged with undermining the emir's status, attacking the regime and spreading false information damaging to Kuwait's national interests.

Kuwait's criminal court on Monday ordered his release on a KD 2,000 Kuwaiti dinar bail.

His release was welcomed by the Kuwait Journalists Association as a consolidation of people's confidence in the fairness and neutrality of the Kuwaiti judiciary.

"It is very significant that Kuwait maintains its advanced status in the field of freedom of expression," Faisal Al Qanai, the Secretary General of the Kuwait Journalists Association, said.