Appeal Court rules former MP crossed line between opinion and defamation

2026-03-17 - 09:05

The Court of Appeal, headed by Counselor Saud Yousef Al-Sane, has overturned a lower court ruling that had acquitted former MP Mohammed Al-Mutair, and sentenced him to two years in prison with labor in the case of insulting the Amir and members of the judiciary. The second accused was sentenced to one year in prison with labor and fined 2,000 dinars. The charges against Al-Mutair stemmed from statements he made at a political seminar which was held under the title ‘Reform Between Slogan and Reality” in Al-Jahra. The statements were later published on social media. The prosecution argued that his remarks publicly insulted the position of the Amir, undermined respect for the judiciary, and assisted in spreading content that could defame both the Amir and judges, reports Al-Rai daily. The Court of Appeal noted that while freedom of opinion is constitutionally guaranteed, it does not extend to statements that defame or insult the Amir or judiciary in a public setting. The court emphasized that Al-Mutair, as a former lawmaker, was aware of the boundaries of permissible public discourse and intended to disseminate remarks that impugned the integrity of the state’s leadership and judicial authority.