A prominent Kuwaiti-American journalist has been detained by authorities in Kuwait since early March, sparking urgent calls for his release from international press freedom organizations.
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, who was visiting family in Kuwait when regional tensions escalated into open conflict on February 28, has not been seen publicly or posted on social media since March 2. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) confirmed his detention and outlined the charges he faces.
Vague Accusations, Broad Implications
Kuwaiti authorities have charged Shihab-Eldin with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his cellphone—accusations the CPJ describes as "vague and overly broad" language commonly used to silence independent reporting.
"We call on Kuwait to release Ahmed Shihab-Eldin and drop all charges against him," said CPJ regional director Sara Qudah in a statement this week. "Journalism is not a crime, and Shihab-Eldin's case reflects a broader pattern of using national security laws to stifle scrutiny and control the narrative."
What Triggered the Arrest?
While authorities have not specified which posts led to his detention, the CPJ says Shihab-Eldin had commented on publicly available videos and images related to the conflict. His posts included a geolocated video—verified by CNN—showing a U.S. fighter jet crash near a U.S. air base in Kuwait.
All of Shihab-Eldin's social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and X have since become inactive, with the platforms indicating the accounts "do not exist" or "are not available."
Part of a Broader Crackdown
Shihab-Eldin's case is not isolated. His arrest coincides with a widening crackdown on press freedom across Persian Gulf states and Israel, with countries implementing strict military censorship rules aimed at controlling information about military operations.
Shortly after hostilities began, Kuwait's Ministry of the Interior warned against filming or publishing videos or information related to Iranian attacks, noting that several individuals had been arrested for spreading what authorities deemed false news. Reports indicate others have been detained for posting social media videos mocking the government and for using drones to film air strikes.
International Concern Grows
The detention has drawn condemnation from international observers. Ashish Prashar, a New York-based political strategist and former Middle East peace envoy advisor, called the arrest troubling.
"To imprison a journalist arbitrarily and label their work as endangering national security is a grave misstep. The state department needs to demand the release of Ahmed. Anything less would be an endorsement of authoritarian practices," Prashar stated on social media Tuesday.
CBC News reached out to the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington, D.C., but did not receive an immediate response to requests for comment on the case.
This report is based on information from CBC World.