Release and Departure of US-Kuwaiti Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin Following Acquittal in Kuwait
Introduction
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, a journalist with dual US-Kuwaiti citizenship, has been released from detention in Kuwait and has left the country after a Kuwaiti court cleared him of all charges. His detention, which lasted about 52 days, resulted from his online sharing of war-related footage during a period of increased regional conflict.
Main Body
The journalist was arrested on March 3, 2025, while visiting relatives in Kuwait. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), authorities charged him with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone. These charges were linked to his posting of videos and images on social media, including footage of a US fighter jet crash near an American military base in Kuwait. The CPJ asserted that the accusations were vague and overly broad, and claimed that they are routinely used to suppress independent reporting. A Kuwaiti court later acquitted Shihab-Eldin on all counts, a decision confirmed by lawyers representing his sisters. The CPJ welcomed the acquittal, noting that it followed nearly two months of detention. The journalist’s family representative also confirmed his acquittal. Before his arrest, Shihab-Eldin had worked for international media outlets including the BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, HBO, Vice, and PBS. The detention took place during a regional military escalation. On February 28, 2025, the United States and Israel began attacks on Iran, which led to retaliatory strikes by Iran on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. The conflict caused thousands of casualties and mass displacement. A fragile ceasefire started over two weeks before Shihab-Eldin’s release. In response to the hostilities, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior issued a directive on February 28 urging the public not to film missile interceptions, share such footage on social media, or film security personnel. Furthermore, a law enacted on March 15 introduced prison terms of up to ten years for spreading false rumors about military entities with the intent of undermining public confidence in them. The US State Department confirmed that it provided consular assistance to Shihab-Eldin during his detention and that he safely left Kuwait. A department spokesperson declined to give further details, citing privacy considerations. The Trump administration had reportedly prioritized the case through diplomatic channels. The CPJ and other human rights advocates had previously called for his release and the dismissal of all charges. The Gulf Centre for Human Rights noted that dozens of individuals have been detained in similar cases involving freedom of expression since the regional tensions escalated. Kuwait’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Conclusion
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has been acquitted by a Kuwaiti court and has left Kuwait, ending a detention that drew international attention from press freedom organizations and US diplomatic channels. The case highlights the tensions between security measures enacted during armed conflict and the exercise of journalistic activity in the Gulf region.