Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, an award-winning U.S.-Kuwaiti journalist and producer, has not posted online or been seen in public in Kuwait — where he was visiting family — since March 2, 2026. It is understood authorities arrested and charged him with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone — vague and overly broad accusations that are routinely used to silence independent journalists.
Prior to his detention, Shihab-Eldin — who has contributed to The New York Times, PBS, and Al Jazeera English, among others — commented on publicly available videos and images related to the Iran war. His recent posts included a geolocated video, verified by CNN, showing a U.S. fighter jet crash near a U.S. air base in Kuwait.
His detention came amid military escalations during the Iran war, with Kuwaiti authorities — and other Gulf countries — imposing increasingly tight censorship over the press.
On March 2, a few days after the start of the Iran war, Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior warned against filming or publishing videos or information related to Iranian attacks, noting that several people were arrested for spreading false news. The Ministry of Information also referred individuals accused of violating media laws to the Public Prosecution.
On March 15, Kuwait enacted Law No. 13 of 2026, aimed at safeguarding and protecting the supreme interests of military authorities. Article 26 imposes prison sentences up to 10 years for anyone who “disseminates news, publishes statements, or spreads false rumors related to military entities” with the intent of undermining confidence in them.
CPJ emailed the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment but received no immediate response.