Manama: Kuwait’s interior ministry has denied claims that it started tapping private phone and monitoring social media and related applications.

The allegations on social media platforms about the ministry acting on a decree authorizing the monitoring of communications and social media uses were totally groundless, lacked credibility and were not based on genuine facts, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

“The ministry is keen on carrying out its security duties by following procedures stipulated by the law and without the need to restrict the personal freedoms of citizens and residents that are guaranteed by the constitution and the laws,” the statement, carried by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna), said.

“The ministry enforces cybercrimes laws after it receives and complaints, investigates them and then refers them to the competent authorities after it obtains the required legal permissions.”

The cybercrime act provides for a range of offenses that criminalize those who commit them and sets clear penalties, the statement added.

“Everyone has the right to deal with the social networking sites as they deem appropriate. They however bear the legal consequences of any misuse on the condition that a complainant proves the damage or harm suffered from the irregularities,” the ministry said.

Kuwaitis are among the most active social media users in the Arab world.