Trained on Drones in Iran.. Life Sentence for Kuwaiti on Espionage Charges

July 24, 2026 - 10:37 | Last updated July 24, 2026 - 10:37

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In a judicial development highlighting one of the most sensitive security cases in the region, the Kuwaiti State Security Appeals Court overturned a previous ruling sentencing a Kuwaiti citizen to 10 years in prison and instead sentenced him to life imprisonment after convicting him of seeking and spying for Iran and Hezbollah.

Investigations revealed dangerous details about the defendant's plot, as he was proven to have met with prominent security leaders and received intensive military training inside Iranian territory, with the aim of harming Kuwait's supreme national interests.

Court documents reported that the defendant frequented the Iranian city of Qom and underwent high-risk field training programs under the supervision of elements belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Lebanese Hezbollah.

These trainings included handling firearms, as well as mastering the use and techniques of operating drones (UAVs) to execute plans affecting Kuwait's internal security and harming its sovereignty.

The session's decisions were not limited to the espionage case, but also included rulings on cases affecting Kuwaiti societal peace. The court overturned a 3-year prison sentence for a Kuwaiti woman accused of inciting sectarian strife and promoting Hezbollah's ideas through WhatsApp and Snapchat, and decided to acquit her of the charge of promoting the party and refrained from punishing her.

In another case, the court upheld a 3-year prison sentence for a Kuwaiti citizen after convicting him of insulting the Companions, contempt of citizens, and inciting sedition, as well as spreading panic among people by providing false information to a bank during a period of attacks, in a set of rulings affirming strict handling of anything threatening security and societal stability in Kuwait.