The detention of journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin in Kuwait has sparked growing concern among rights groups, who warn of an escalating crackdown on freedom of expression across the Gulf during the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.
Shihab-Eldin, a Kuwaiti national born in the US, was arrested on 3 March in Kuwait City and has remained in detention for weeks with limited access to legal counsel.
He is reportedly facing prosecution in a specialised security court over social media posts related to the conflict.
The award-winning journalist, who has worked with outlets including The New Arab, PBS, The New York Times and Al Jazeera English , has more than 2 million followers online.
Rights groups say the charges against him may include spreading false information, harming national security, and misuse of a mobile phone.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), some of the content cited includes footage of a US F-15 fighter jet crash near a base in Kuwait during a reported friendly fire incident earlier in March. The videos he shared were already circulating publicly, the organisation noted.
"We are seeing escalating censorship of journalists and news outlets across the world in relation to the Iran war, including in the Gulf," said Sara Qudah. "National security is being used as a pretext to crack down on freedom of speech, and Shihab-Eldin's detention is emblematic of that. He must be freed immediately."
Shihab-Eldin's detention has also drawn criticism from analysts and former officials.
Former adviser to a Middle East peace envoy, Ashish Prashar , said jailing journalists under national security grounds risks undermining basic freedoms.
"Journalism is fundamentally about telling the truth; it is essential work, an act of service, and one the public needs in order to make informed decisions," he told The New Arab . "To arbitrarily imprison a journalist and label that work ‘terrorism’ or ‘endangering national security’ is a grave misstep.
"The State Department and Foreign Office need to demand the release of all media workers from their allies in the Gulf. Anything less would be an abandonment of their ethical obligations and an endorsement of authoritarian practices."
Separately, Craig Mokhiber, director in the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the detention represented a serious breach of press freedom, calling for Shihab-Eldin's release.
"[His] detention... simply for reporting on the US-Israel aggression on Iran and on the Iranian response, is not only a shameful attack on press freedom, an act of arbitrary detention, and a gross violation of its obligations under the ICCPR, but also yet another declaration by the government of its shameful support for the crimes of the US and Israel," Mokhiber said.
"Ahmed must be freed, and the government must finally commit to human rights both at home and in its foreign policy."
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights reported that dozens of individuals in Kuwait have been detained since the war on Iran began, many over social media posts or video footage. Detainees are often held without contact with lawyers or family members for several days before being referred to prosecutors.
Other figures, including activists Farrah Alsaqqaf and Suad Al-Munayes, have also reportedly been detained under similar circumstances, according to rights groups.
Kuwait has introduced stricter controls on media coverage since the conflict escalated. The information ministry issued guidelines prohibiting the publication of "rumours, unverified news, or misleading information", as well as content deemed harmful to foreign relations.
Gulf states have argued that footage of interceptions shared online can be used by Iran to improve the accuracy of its strikes.
Authorities have also established a new specialised court to handle cases related to state security and terrorism, which officials say is intended to expedite proceedings. Rights groups, however, fear such measures could be used to silence dissent.
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights notes that the shrinking of civic space extends beyond Kuwait, with governments across the region intensifying efforts to restrict public freedoms under the pretext of national security during wartime.
Authorities in the UAE said last week they had detained hundreds of individuals over social media activity linked to the conflict.