Kuwait Court Sentences Four to 10 Years in Prison for Money Laundering

Kuwait's State Security and Terrorism Crimes Court has delivered a series of significant verdicts, encompassing 46 rulings in high-profile cases. These cases involved charges such as money laundering, terrorism financing, joining banned organizations, sympathizing with prohibited groups, and inciting sedition. The court, led by Judge Nasser Al-Badr, imposed a range of penalties including prison terms, substantial financial penalties, commercial bans, deportation orders, and acquittals.

In a prominent money laundering case, four defendants were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and collectively fined approximately 199 million Kuwaiti dinars. Additionally, commercial entities connected to this case faced fines of around 99 million dinars and a permanent ban from commercial activities. In another major ruling, four individuals, including three Kuwaiti citizens and one Lebanese national, were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 6 million dinars for joining and financing the Lebanese Hezbollah.

The court also handed down a 10-year prison sentence and a 6.07 million dinar fine to a Kuwaiti citizen in a separate money laundering case. Twitter user Fawaz Al-Kathiri received a five-year prison sentence in a state security case. Other sentences included three years for sympathizing with banned groups and inciting sedition, and a two-year term followed by deportation for a non-Kuwaiti defendant. Notably, 33 citizens were acquitted, with the court overturning previous in absentia sentences related to inciting sectarian strife.