Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates ( CNN ) -- A Kuwaiti court sentenced three former members of parliament to three years in prison -- with hard labor -- on charges of insulting the nation 's ruler , a human rights group said Tuesday . Falah Al-Sawagh , Bader Al-Dahoum and Khalid Al-Tahou are currently out on bail . They will appeal the decision , the Kuwait Society for Human Rights said . More than 300 people are currently detained in Kuwait on charges of insulting the emir , which is a crime under the national security law , said Mohammed Al-Humaidi , director of the human rights group . Some have faced prison time for what they said on Twitter . `` We call on the judiciary and the government to create a special law for electronic crimes like in other countries , '' Al-Humaidi said . `` Someone sending a text on a mobile or tweeting or commenting on social media should not be tried or convicted in a court of national security . '' On Sunday , a Kuwaiti court sentenced another man , Mohammed Al-Ajmi , to five years of imprisonment for insulting the emir -- the maximum sentence permissible by law . Al-Humaidi said that sentence will also be appealed . The human rights group director said he did not know the exact nature of Al-Ajmi 's tweet or why his sentence was longer than others . Kuwait 's Ministry of Information said anyone accused of a crime gets `` a fair trial with a comprehensive legal defense and open appeals process . '' `` Kuwait has a long-standing proud tradition of open debate and free speech with free , transparent and inclusive elections and the most robust parliament in the region , '' the ministry said in a statement Tuesday . `` We are a country led by the rule of law and our constitution holds our Emir to be inviolable . If our citizens wish to amend the constitution there is a straightforward legal way to do this , but we will not selectively enforce our laws . '' Al-Ajmi is the third Kuwaiti to be sentenced this year for insulting Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Twitter . In January , Rashed Al-Enezi and Ayad Al-Hirbi were each sentenced to two years . Al-Humaidi said Al-Enezi 's tweet implied an opposition member of parliament would do a better job ruling the country than the royal family . Al-Hirbi 's tweet quoted a line by a dissident poet interpreted as insulting the emir . `` We call on the Kuwaiti government to abide by international agreements it has signed respecting human rights , '' Al-Humaidi said . `` As a nation , Kuwait must work toward broadening freedoms , not limiting them . ''
NEW : Kuwait 's Ministry of Information : http://www.moi.gov.kw The three ex-parliamentarians are out on bail and plan to appeal , an activist says . Human rights group : More than 300 people are detained on charges of insulting the emir . A man was sentenced this week to five years in prison for such charges .