Kuwait PM threatens newspaper editors News
Kuwait PM threatens newspaper editors

[JURIST] Kuwati Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah on Tuesday warned newspapers that publishing information about investigations of militants could result in the suspension or closure of those papers. Sheikh Sabah's commented that journalistic scoops could endanger security personnel and help fugitives. Kuwait's 1961 Press And Publishing Law, [State Department report] which has been opposed by civil rights activists, gives the government the right to shut down newspapers. Specifically, the law prohibits the publication of material that spreads incitement of violence or dissention among the public. In addition, the government has announced that unlicensed mosques would be shut down and textbooks inciting religious hatred would be banned, as the government launches a crackdown on Islamic extremism. On Sunday, the Kuwaiti government began blocking access to extremist websites. BBC has more. The Kuwait Times has local coverage of the crackdown. [English version]