The Committee to Protect Journalists is urging for the release of Kuwaiti American journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin following his detention in Kuwait due to social media activity amid escalating tensions during the Iran conflict.
Shihab-Eldin was apprehended in early March amidst a broader crackdown on press freedom and social media content related to military actions in the Persian Gulf states and Israel. While in Kuwait visiting family, he ceased social media activity and public appearances since the onset of the conflict on Feb. 28.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Shihab-Eldin was arrested by local authorities on charges of disseminating false information, posing a threat to national security, and misusing his cellphone, allegations commonly used to silence independent journalists.
CPJ’s regional director, Sara Qudah, emphasized the need for Kuwait to release Shihab-Eldin and dismiss all charges against him, stressing that journalism is not a crime and his case reflects a broader trend of using national security laws to suppress scrutiny and manipulate narratives.
Although the specific social media posts leading to his detention remain undisclosed, CPJ noted that Shihab-Eldin had commented on publicly available videos and images related to the Iran conflict. His recent online activities included sharing a geolocated video, authenticated by CNN, depicting a U.S. fighter jet crash near a U.S. air base in Kuwait.
His social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and X platforms have been inactive since April 14, displaying messages stating that the accounts either do not exist or are unavailable.
Political strategist Ashish Prashar, based in New York and formerly an advisor on Middle East peace, condemned Shihab-Eldin’s arrest as an arbitrary act that wrongly labels journalistic work as a threat to national security. He called on the state department to demand Shihab-Eldin’s release, highlighting that failure to do so would signify an endorsement of authoritarian practices.
In the wake of the conflict, the Ministry of the Interior in Kuwait issued warnings against sharing information or videos related to Iranian attacks, cautioning against spreading false news. Reports from CBC News detailed arrests in the region, including individuals detained for posting social media content mocking the government or using drones to film air strikes.
Since the onset of the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliations, CPJ documented a series of arrests of journalists, disruptions to reporting, airstrikes damaging media infrastructure, and extensive limitations on media coverage both locally and internationally. Notably, CPJ reported nine journalists killed, 11 detained or interrogated, and nine media outlets damaged in airstrikes, alongside instances of journalists facing targeting, assaults, threats, or harassment.
Additionally, CPJ highlighted instances of censorship in various Middle Eastern countries, including a nationwide internet blackout imposed in Iran on Feb. 28, shortly after the lifting of a previous blackout during a crackdown on mass protests in January.