Journalist detained in Kuwait after posting Iran war video, activists say

A journalist has been detained in Kuwait after posting videos related to the war in Iran, according to a press freedom advocacy group.

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has not been seen or heard from since 2 March, when he was visiting family in Kuwait, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a statement.

It is understood that the American-Kuwaiti journalist was charged with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone, the CPJ said as it called for Mr Shihab-Eldin to be released immediately.

The arrest comes as Kuwait and other Gulf states have detained people for posting footage of Iranian missile and drone strikes on their territory during the war. A watchdog said last month that as many as 70 Britons were detained in the UAE alone.

Mr Shihab-Eldin, who has contributed to The New York Times, HuffPost and Al Jazeera English among others, shared a social media video of a US fighter jet crash in Al Jahra, near Kuwait City, on his Substack on 2 March.

The US Central Command confirmed in a statement that Kuwaiti forces mistakenly shot down three US fighter jets. It said all six crew members were "ejected safely".

Mr Shihab-Eldin posted screenshots of the video and said the footage showed locals assisting one of the crew members. This post on 2 March was his last.

On the same day, Kuwait's interior ministry warned against filming or publishing videos or information related to Iranian attacks and said that several people were arrested for spreading false news.

"We call on Kuwait to release Ahmed Shihab-Eldin and drop all charges against him," CPJ's regional director, Sara Qudah, said as she asked for him to be freed "immediately".

"Journalism is not a crime, and Shihab-Eldin's case reflects a broader pattern of using national security laws to stifle scrutiny and control the narrative."

Since Mr Shihab-Eldin's arrest, Kuwait has enacted a law aimed at safeguarding and protecting the supreme interests of military authorities, including the army, police and the National Guard, the CPJ said.

Another law 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.

Second journalist arrested in Kuwait

The CPJ said a second journalist, Yitzchak Horowitz, reported on 26 March that he had been arrested on suspicion of espionage in Kuwait after taking photos of US warships off the Gulf coast, claiming he was questioned for hours about his identity, his ties to Israel and whether he had a military background, before being released.

"We are seeing escalating censorship of journalists and news outlets across the world in relation to the Iran war, including in the Gulf," Ms Qudah said.

"National security is being used as a pretext to crack down on freedom of speech and Shihab-Eldin's detention is emblematic of that."

Ashish Prashar, former advisor to the US Middle East peace envoy, also condemned the arrests of journalists.

He said: "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.

"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."

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Kuwait's interior ministry reiterated its warning to "refrain from spreading rumours or sharing unverified videos and images" and said any violations would be "dealt with firmly, with violators referred to the relevant authorities for legal action", state media reported.

The ministry of information has referred people accused of violating media laws to prosecutors, the CPJ said.

(c) Sky News 2026: Journalist detained in Kuwait after posting Iran war video, activists say