The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) welcomes the news that a three-year prison sentence with hard labour imposed against human rights defender Rana Al-Sadoun was overturned by the Criminal Court in Kuwait on 04 December 2016.

According to news reports, Al-Sadoun was obliged to sign a “pledge of good conduct” and pay a bail of 1,000 Kuwaiti Dinars (approx. USD$3280).

On 16 April 2016, security authorities arrested Al-Sadoun on her arrival from Beirut at Kuwait International airport. She was released on bail on 17 April. On 21 June 2015, the Criminal Court in Kuwait sentenced Al-Sadoun in absentia to three years in prison with hard labour. The court convicted her of repeating a speech which was delivered in 2002 by former MP Musallam Al-Barrak in which he criticised the electoral law. Al-Barrak is currently serving a two-year prison sentence because of this speech. [1]

Al-Sadoun is a co-founder of the National Committee to Monitor Violations (NCV) which is an organisation that documents violations of freedom of expression in Kuwait. She has continued to play an effective role in the activities of the NCV.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)