Kuwait sentences 3 royal family members for insulting judges

Lawyer Jalila al-Sayed, left, speaks to journalists as Abduljalil Khalil, a senior member of Al-Wefaq political society, center, and lawyer Hassan Radhi, right, listen during a press conference in Manama, Bahrain, Monday, May 30, 2016. AP

KUWAIT CITY— A Kuwait criminal court has sentenced three members of the royal family to five-year prison terms each for insulting judges.

The three royals and four other co-defendants were sentenced on Monday. They were initially accused of insulting Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah and fabricating videos incriminating high-ranking judges.

The former head of Kuwait’s National Security Office Athbi al-Fahad Al Sabah, who is the ruler’s nephew, is among those convicted.

The 122-page ruling, obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, references phone logs from the WhatsApp messaging service of the defendants planning to publish anonymous Twitter posts sharing fabricated videos of judges receiving bribes.

Of the four other defendants, three were sentenced to five year terms each while the fourth was sentenced to 10 years. All can appeal. TVJ