An American-Kuwaiti journalist has been detained for weeks and charged in Kuwait, AFP reports citing the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, PBS, and Al Jazeera English, has not posted online or been seen in Kuwait since March 2, the press freedom watchdog says.

Hundreds of people have been arrested across the Gulf as states seek to limit the spread of footage showing the effects of Iran’s attacks, including any damage or interceptions. While authorities have cited security concerns, the press freedom watchdog criticised “increasingly tight censorship over the press”.

“It is understood that authorities have charged him with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone - vague and overly broad accusations that are routinely used to silence independent journalists,” it has said in a statement.

One of his recent posts included a geolocated video, verified by CNN, that showed a US fighter jet crash near a US air base in Kuwait, according to the CPJ.

“We call on Kuwait to release Ahmed Shihab-Eldin and drop all charges against him,” says CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah.