Iraqi authorities have extradited Kuwaiti blogger Salman Al-Khalidi to Kuwait during his visit to Iraq, disregarding his status as a political refugee and highlighting the collusion between Iraqi and Kuwaiti authorities in silencing dissent.

Al-Khalidi, a 25-year-old Kuwaiti blogger, was granted political asylum in the UK in December 2023. His arbitrary extradition by Iraq violates his rights under international law.

Al-Khalidi’s persecution began after he exposed Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman’s alleged role in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He was convicted in absentia on charges including “insulting the head of state” and “misuse of a cell phone”, charges he maintains are politically motivated. The Kuwaiti government also revoked his citizenship and issued multiple prison sentences against him, including hard labour.

Despite his asylum status, Iraqi Interpol detained Al-Khalidi at Baghdad International Airport and handed him over to Kuwaiti authorities at the Al-Abdali border crossing. The handover was personally overseen by the governor of Basra and the Kuwaiti Minister of Interior.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) has documented the abuses against Al-Khalidi, whose “crime” was exercising his right to free expression. His degrading treatment—publicly photographed with his hands tied and forced to sit on the ground—was a deliberate attempt to humiliate and silence him for his criticism of authoritarian regimes.

Salman Al-Khalidi’s extradition highlights the extreme lengths Gulf regimes take to silence dissent, even beyond their borders. His case raises urgent concerns about free speech in these countries, where criticism of authoritarian rulers is met with persecution and repression. This is part of a broader pattern of transnational crackdowns on activists and journalists. Freedom of speech is not a crime, yet Gulf governments continue to criminalise it to maintain their grip on power.

What you can do:

• Send a letter of protest to the Kuwaiti embassy in your country, calling for the release of Salman al-Khalidi and all other political prisoners.
• Follow the Gulf Centre for Human Rights for updates on this case.