Source: Amnesty International –
Authorities across Gulf states have arrested more than 1,000 people in a sweeping, war-related crackdown on expression, including for sharing online content or expressing views related to the US-Israeli war with Iran and Iran’s attacks on the Gulf, Amnesty International said today. In Kuwait and Bahrain, authorities have also stripped citizens of their nationality, including in reprisal for expression.
After the war began, citing national security concerns, authorities across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman, issued blanket warnings against sharing online content that spreads “rumours” or “false information” about the war or comes from “unknown sources.” Soon after, multiple Gulf states began announcing mass arrests.
“While Gulf states may take measures to address misinformation and protect national security, and may derogate from certain rights during armed conflict, any restriction on freedom of expression must meet strict international human rights standards. Derogations must be clearly and precisely provided by law, pursue a legitimate aim, and be strictly necessary and proportionate. Blanket restrictions and the sweeping criminalization of information-sharing fail to meet these requirements,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
“In a bid to protect their glossy image as safe havens, Gulf states have used their usual heavy-handed authoritarian approach to control information and weaponized vaguely worded and overly broad provisions of cybercrime, counter-terror and national security laws. This goes far beyond what is permitted under international law.”
Amnesty International spoke to 16 people, including a journalist, community activists, citizens and residents of the GCC, and family members of people detained, most of whom requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. The organization documented eight cases of expression-related arrests.
The organization also reviewed official statements by GCC authorities, including blanket warnings and announcements of hundreds of expression-related arrests, and reviewed cases reported by local media and foreign embassies and documented by local human rights groups.
Authorities in Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar issued official statements announcing their arrests of hundreds of people for filming and sharing videos, circulating clips documenting the interception of missiles or posting footage of projectile damage.
In several cases, arrests have been made for “glorifying” a hostile state and its military leadership, which appears to refer to expressing sympathy with Iran, or reposting online content expressing solidarity with the Iranian people, or mourning late Iran’s supreme leader and commander-in-chief, Ali Khamenei.
Authorities in some GCC states have also investigated or prosecuted those accused of circulating “misleading information” or “false news, rumours or provocative propaganda,” including artificial intelligence content or footage falsely claiming incidents occurred.
Criminal courts in Kuwait and Bahrain have issued prison sentences ranging between three and 10 years against dozens of people after hastily scheduled trials for the posting or sharing of war-related content.
Gulf states have used their usual heavy-handed authoritarian approach to control information and weaponized vaguely worded and overly broad provisions of cybercrime, counter-terror and national security laws.
Heba Morayef, Amnesty International
After the war started, Omani authorities, like other GCC states, warned, on 3 March, that those responsible for publishing “rumours and unverified information” would be held legally accountable under the law. Authorities in Oman have not subsequently announced any expression-related arrests.
“Since the war began, the public information released by Gulf states has been extremely limited with states seeking to control the narrative about the impact of Iranian attacks on daily life in the GCC. This stranglehold on information, particularly in a time of war, added to a climate of confusion and made it hard for residents to obtain information they need. It will also make it more difficult to document the harm caused by Iranian strikes,” said Heba Morayef.