Kuwait: Year to Date Marked by Escalating Repression

The year 2024 has been marked in Kuwait so far by escalating political repression, including new prosecutions, prison sentences and stripping of people’s nationality that have increased fear and further shrunk the margin for critical expression in the Arab Gulf country. The increased official action taken against critics of Kuwait’s governance forms the backdrop to Emir Meshal Al Sabah’s decision on 10 May 2024 to dissolve the newly elected parliament and suspend parliamentary government and elections for up to four years.