A Kuwaiti woman sentenced 11-year term due to insulting emir on twitter

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah attends the opening session of a humanitarian pledging conference for Syria held in Kuwait city, Kuwait, on Jan. 30, 2013. (Photo : Xinhua/Noufal Ibrahim)

Kuwait opposition groups say a woman has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after convictions that include insulting the Gulf nation’s ruler and encouraging his overthrow.

Monday’s court decision is among the harshest punishments given in the Gulf region as authorities increasingly crack down on perceived dissent on social media. Dozens of people across the Western-backed Gulf states have been sentenced to jail time for Twitter and blog posts in the past year.

Opposition groups in Kuwait say Huda al-Ajmi faced three separate charges that included insulting the emir, which brought a one-year sentence. Five-year prison terms were given for allegedly calling for coup-style rebellion and violating laws on public discussions.

Kuwaiti media, including the pro-government Al Watan newspaper, also reported the sentencing. <AP/NEWSis>