KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait's criminal court on Saturday acquitted a correspondent for Al-Arabiya satellite news channel of charges of undermining the emirate's interests by reporting false news, the journalist said. Adel al-Eidan, a Kuwaiti working for the Dubai-based, Saudi-owned television, was detained for four days in January for reporting an alleged shootout between security forces and gunmen, south of the capital. Authorities dismissed the report as baseless.
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During detention, Eidan claimed he was tortured by police and filed a complaint to the parliamentary human rights panel. "I feel that the court has treated me fairly and cleared my name and credibility as a journalist," Eidan told AFP.
The verdict is not final as it can be challenged by the public prosecution to the appeals court. Eidan was charged with reporting "false news that undermines the country's position internally and abroad" which is a felony under Kuwaiti law. |