A teacher has been sentenced to 11 years in jail for insulting the Emir, inciting regime change and insulting a religious sect via Twitter, two sources close to the case said.Huda al-Ajmi, 37, is the first woman known to have been convicted for criticising the US-allied Gulf Arab state’s ruler, described as “immune and inviolable” in the constitution.
Kuwait has penalised several Twitter users for slurs against the Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Sources said Ajmi received two consecutive five-year terms for insulting the Emir and one year for insulting a religious sect.
Ajmi has not yet been taken into custody and can appeal the sentences, sources said. It is rare for a woman to serve jail time for political crimes in Kuwait, which allows more freedom of speech than some other Gulf Arab states.
In April a Kuwaiti court gave an opposition politician five years in jail for insulting the emir, but an appeals court overturned the sentence.
Reuters
Kuwait has penalised several Twitter users for slurs against the Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Sources said Ajmi received two consecutive five-year terms for insulting the Emir and one year for insulting a religious sect.
Ajmi has not yet been taken into custody and can appeal the sentences, sources said. It is rare for a woman to serve jail time for political crimes in Kuwait, which allows more freedom of speech than some other Gulf Arab states.
In April a Kuwaiti court gave an opposition politician five years in jail for insulting the emir, but an appeals court overturned the sentence.
Reuters
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