Court convicts Al-Khaldi of challenging Amir’s authority, orders deportation

The Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Abdulwahab Al-Muaili, has sentenced Salman Al-Khaldi to 15 years’ imprisonment with hard labor, followed by deportation, in a state security case.

The court convicted Al-Khaldi of deliberately challenging the authority of His Highness the Amir through posts published on his account on the X platform, and of intentionally using social media to commit defamation, reports Al-Rai daily.

The ruling comes within the framework of laws governing state security and the use of electronic platforms, which criminalize acts deemed to undermine the authority of the state or insult its leadership.

During the proceedings, Al-Khaldi denied all charges brought against him. His defense lawyer requested an adjournment of the case to review the file and obtain copies of the investigation documents.