Date Type Case No Country KWT 1/2015 25/02/2015 Kuwait JAL Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply Freedom of expression; Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Human rights defenders; Independence of judges and lawyers; Allegations concerning charges brought against and sentencing of two human rights defenders in Kuwait. According to the information received, on 28 January 2015, Mr. Mohammed al-Ajmi, a blogger and member of the National Committee for Monitoring Violations, was arrested by State security officers in connection with comments he had posted on his Twitter page, which allegedly referred to the death of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Al-Ajmi has been charged under article 4 of the External State Security Act, which, in case of guilt, carries a punishment of not less than three years to life imprisonment. Mr. Al-Ajmi was released on 2 February 2015 pending trial. On 29 January 2015, the Criminal Court sentenced Mr. Abdulhakim al-Fadhli, a human rights defender advocating for the rights of the Bedoon community of stateless persons in Kuwait, to one year in prison with hard labour on charges of “inciting Bedoons in Kuwait to protest and cause chaos” after he participated in a peaceful demonstration in July 2014. The Court also issued a deportation order that will come into effect at the end of his prison sentence. Mr. Al-Fadhli has not yet been detained; however, his sentence may be executed at any time. Mr. Al-Fadhli was the subject of a previous communication dated 31 July 2014, see A/HRC/28/85, case no. KWT 2/2014. 03/03/2015 09/04/2015 A/HRC/29/50 69