Kuwaiti man jailed over Mohammed tweets

Post on Twitter interpreted as endorsing Shia beliefs in Sunni-majority country

There is a  widening crackdown in many Gulf Arab nations on political commentary and other forms of expressions on social media. File Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
There is a widening crackdown in many Gulf Arab nations on political commentary and other forms of expressions on social media. File Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

A Twitter user in Kuwait has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of insulting the prophet Mohammed.

Musaab Shamsah was arrested after the tweet was interpreted as endorsing Shia beliefs in the Sunni-majority country.

His jailing is the latest among Gulf Arab nations in a widening crackdown on political commentary and other forms of expressions on social media.

In Saudi Arabia, three lawyers are facing trial over social media posts allegedly criticising authorities.

Meanwhile, a man was jailed in the United Arab Emirates for two years after being convicted on state security charges for Twitter posts in May about the trial of 94 people suspected of ties to an Islamist faction, which authorities claim seeks to undermine the country's ruling system.

AP

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter