17/12/2015 JAL 17/12/2015 JAL Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply KWT 7/2015 Kuwait Freedom of expression; Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Human rights defenders; Allegations regarding the sentencing of a Kuwaiti human rights defender and steps 11/02/2016 taken towards revoking his citizenship. According to the information received, on 9 April 2013, Mr. Abdullah Fairouz Abdullah Abd al-Kareem, a human rights defender and journalist, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department of Kuwait on charges of insulting the judiciary in relation to statements he had made on social media critical of the Kuwaiti courts. He was subsequently detained for seven days before being released on 15 April 2013 upon payment of 200 Kuwait Dinars (approximately 658 USD). On 4 November 2013, Mr. Al-Kareem was again arrested, this time by State security officials and on the basis of statements made on social media relating to the Emir. It is reported that he was beaten during his arrest. On 9 January 2014, Mr. Al-Kareem was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and subsequent deportation from Kuwait. He is currently serving his sentence in the Central Jail in Kuwait and processes for the revocation of his citizenship have reportedly been initiated. SLE 2/2015 Sierra Leone Freedom of expression; Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Human rights defenders; Allegations of systemic judicial harassment of land rights defenders. According to the information received, on 16 October 2013, six members of the Malen Land Owners and Users Association (MALOA) were arrested and detained on charges allegedly based on their land rights advocacy in opposition to the activities of the palm-oil company Socfin Agricultural Company Sierra Leone Ltd (SAC), a subsidiary of the Belgian-based Socfin Group. They were released on 24 October 2013 and their trial before the High Court began a year later, on 20 October 2014. The latest hearing in their case took place on 4 November 2015. Two other MALOA members and nine MALOA supporters were arrested between 28 January and 26 February 2014 on similar charges and are also standing trial. Their next court date is set for 20 November 2015. On 8 September 2015, seven additional MALOA members were arrested on similar charges, before being released on 10 September 2015 pending trial, after having posted bail. A/HRC/32/53 32 Date Type