Over 1,000 Arrested Across Gulf States Over Iran War-Related Posts, Says Amnesty
Amnesty International says Gulf governments have arrested more than 1,000 people in a broad crackdown on online expression linked to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and Iranian attacks on Gulf countries.
According to the rights group, authorities in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman warned citizens against sharing content deemed to spread rumors or false information about the conflict. Arrests were reportedly made for filming missile interceptions, sharing footage of attacks, reposting war-related content and expressing sympathy for Iran.
Bahrain and Kuwait faced particular criticism over citizenship revocations. Amnesty reported that Bahrain stripped 69 individuals and their families of nationality over alleged support for Iran, while Kuwait revoked the citizenship of more than 1,200 people through government decrees.
The organization also documented hundreds of arrests and prosecutions across the region. Bahrain reportedly arrested more than 300 people, while Kuwait issued court rulings against over 200 defendants on charges linked to online activity. The UAE announced at least 375 detentions, and Qatar reported 313 arrests for sharing videos or information related to the conflict.
Amnesty argued that Gulf states are using broad national security and cybercrime laws to restrict freedom of expression and control information during a period of regional conflict. The group warned that such measures have created fear, limited access to information and made it more difficult to document the impact of Iranian attacks across the Gulf.
