http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32018785
This BBC article highlights the plight of a Kuwaiti satirist named Muhammad al-Aimi, who was recently detained by Kuwaiti State Security in response to a Twitter Post. al-Aimi, who posts under the name Abo Asam, has 151 thousand followers on the social media site. In late January, he was pulled over by five cars and was handcuffed, blindfolded, and taken away by more than ten armed men. Not a stranger to being detained for his critical posts concerning religious and political figures, this event was different in that he was arrested for comments he had posted criticizing Saudi Arabian officials. The charges were offending the Saudi royal family and harming the image of human rights in Saudi Arabia. While it is not uncommon for Arab states to police their citizens in regard to political activism against the nation, it is a new trend recently instituted by Kuwait to police its citizens that make critical comments about the political leaders of neighboring countries. According to a Kuwaiti official, citizens' rights remain "protected and guaranteed." But, he then adds this caveat, "What is the point of democracy and freedom if you do not have security?" People often debate "civil liberties versus security." But it seems the Kuwaiti State Security have taken this debate to a new, more dubious level.
This BBC article highlights the plight of a Kuwaiti satirist named Muhammad al-Aimi, who was recently detained by Kuwaiti State Security in response to a Twitter Post. al-Aimi, who posts under the name Abo Asam, has 151 thousand followers on the social media site. In late January, he was pulled over by five cars and was handcuffed, blindfolded, and taken away by more than ten armed men. Not a stranger to being detained for his critical posts concerning religious and political figures, this event was different in that he was arrested for comments he had posted criticizing Saudi Arabian officials. The charges were offending the Saudi royal family and harming the image of human rights in Saudi Arabia. While it is not uncommon for Arab states to police their citizens in regard to political activism against the nation, it is a new trend recently instituted by Kuwait to police its citizens that make critical comments about the political leaders of neighboring countries. According to a Kuwaiti official, citizens' rights remain "protected and guaranteed." But, he then adds this caveat, "What is the point of democracy and freedom if you do not have security?" People often debate "civil liberties versus security." But it seems the Kuwaiti State Security have taken this debate to a new, more dubious level.
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