Al Khalidi was convicted of upsetting the Emir and misusing social media. Dubai: In a state security case, Kuwait’s Criminal Court sentenced Kuwaiti national Salman Al Khalidi to 15 years in prison with hard labor, to be followed by deportation, according to local media. Al Khalidi was found guilty by the court of purposefully using social media to hurt and insult people, as well as purposefully undermining the Emir’s authority through posts on the platform X. While his attorney asked for more time to examine and duplicate the case papers, he refuted the accusations.
Al Khalidi was found guilty of insulting the Emir and disseminating false information, and the Criminal Court upheld his five-year prison sentence in May 2025. After Al Khalidi was referred for a mental evaluation, the court assigned him a defense attorney. Medical professionals determined that he was mentally competent and completely accountable for his conduct, according to media sources. The court emphasized in its decision that safeguarding Kuwait’s highest national interests helps maintain its reputation and status, strengthens its capacity to enforce the law, and necessitates harsh punishment for those who violate it.
Al Khalidi left Kuwait in December 2023 after receiving 11 enforceable prison terms, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Interior in January 2025. A specialized squad from the Arab and International Criminal Police Department (Interpol) collaborated with Iraqi authorities and the Kuwaiti embassy when security services discovered he was in Iraq. Before he could flee once more, he was apprehended and brought to Kuwait for prosecution.
Early in 2025, Kuwaiti officials acquired Al Khalidi from Iraq. In the most recent of his trials, the Criminal Court upheld his 15-year prison sentence and ordered his deportation upon completion of the sentence. In April 2024, an Emiri edict deprived Al Khalidi with his Kuwaiti nationality.
