Kuwaiti Court Acquits US-Kuwaiti Journalist After 51 Days

A Kuwaiti court acquitted US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin on Thursday, paving the way for his release after 51 days in detention on charges related to his online reporting. The dual citizen, arrested on March 3 while visiting family in Kuwait, faces no further legal action, according to his international legal team and rights organizations monitoring the case.

Shihab-Eldin, an award-winning contributor to outlets including Al Jazeera English, The New York Times, PBS and the BBC, was detained shortly after posting video footage of a US F-15E fighter jet crash near a military base in Kuwait. Authorities accused him of spreading false information online, harming national security, inciting sectarian strife on social media and misusing a mobile phone. His legal representatives noted that the charges remained unclear publicly but appeared tied to material already in the public domain.

The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed the ruling in a statement, saying Shihab-Eldin had been found innocent and was expected to be released imminently. "Full details are still being ascertained but his international legal team confirms that he has been found innocent of the charges,"...