Kuwait suspends newspapers over leaked coup plot videos

A Kuwaiti court ordered two Kuwaiti newspapers to stop printing on Sunday for two weeks for violating orders which prohibit the publication of information about an alleged coup plot to overthrow the government, a judicial source has claimed. The unnamed source told AFP that the court suspended the publication of Al Watan and Alam Al Yawm newspapers following a complaint filed by the Ministry of Information.

According to leaked video tapes former officials are reported to have been involved in plotting to overthrow the government of the Gulf monarchy; the plotters are said to include a member of the ruling Al-Sabah family. Kuwait’s Attorney General issued an order prohibiting media outlets from publishing any information about the case as the Emir called on Kuwaitis to remain calm.

Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah told Kuwaiti MPs in a closed session on Tuesday that the video tapes were inaccurate. He said that they will be handed over to the judiciary to carry out the necessary investigations.

The Sabah family has been ruling Kuwait for nearly 250 years, but since 2006 the Gulf monarchy has witnessed political differences leading to the dissolution of several governments. Parliament itself has been dissolved six times.