Hidaya Sultan al-Salem

In the lead-up to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, hundreds of international journalists assembled in Kuwait, the main launching pad for the U.S. invasion. Although journalists were able to report freely within the country, those seeking to cross the border into Iraq encountered stiff resistance from the Kuwaiti military.

Kuwait's press has long been recognized as the most liberal in the Persian Gulf. Kuwaiti newspapers, all of which are privately owned, are known for outspoken and critical coverage of the government and its policies. Nonetheless, the country's press laws prohibit "subjecting the person of the emir to criticism" and empower authorities to suspend newspapers and jail journalists for "tarnishing public morals," "disparaging God [and] the prophets," "violating the national interest," or "creating divisions among people."

Kuwait's press remains one of the more open in the Arab world. Newspapers often cover local political affairs aggressively and are not shy about criticizing senior officials. Nevertheless, journalists still practice self-censorship and avoid taking on the emir and other members of the ruling family.

New York, March 21, 2001 --- In a letter sent today to Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmed al-Sabah, CPJ expressed alarm about the murder of editor Hidaya Sultan al-Salem, owner and editor of the weekly magazine Al-Majales. While a motive for this killing has not yet been established, we fear that al-Salem may have been killed for her journalism.

Al-Salem, a 66-year-old veteran journalist, was killed Tuesday morning on her way to work when an armed assailant opened fire on her chauffer-driven car in Kuwait City. The assailant, who was described as wearing a traditional long robe, reportedly got out of a four-wheel drive car and fired several rounds into al-Salem's car while it was stopped in traffic. She died shortly thereafter.