UN Slams Kuwait for Revoking 37,000 Citizenships
More than 37,000 people, including at least 26,000 women,
have lost Kuwaiti nationality since August, according to an AFP tally of
official figures, although media reports suggest the real number could be much
higher.
The mass revocations have been cast as part of a reformist
agenda spearheaded by Kuwaiti emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, in power
since December 2023.
“We are deeply concerned about Kuwait’s recent nationality
revocations, particularly of individuals who renounced previous citizenships,
and about the extension of such revocations to their dependents,“ UN Human
Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango told AFP.
“Stripping people of their nationalities has a serious
impact on their economic, social, cultural, and political rights.”
The new ruling applies to women who became Kuwaitis through
marriage since 1987. Official data show 38,505 women were naturalised by
marriage from 1993 to 2020.
It also targets people with dual nationality, which Kuwait
does not allow and those who were naturalised for their achievements.
The campaign has left thousands of people in a legal grey
area and scrambling to restore their previous nationality.
Kuwait has set up a committee to hear appeals, with more
than 14,000 applying so far, according to the official Kuwait News Agency.
However, Magango said: “Their inability to challenge these
decisions in court also raises serious concerns.
“This risks further marginalisation and social exclusion in
Kuwait.”
Anyone found to have obtained citizenship by forgery or
fraud also loses their Kuwaiti nationality, along with their descendants.
“Retroactively revoking citizenship... and extending this to
their descendants, raises serious human rights concerns,“ Magango said.
The UN office has urged Kuwait to “review the nationality
law to ensure it complies with international human rights standards and
consider sustainable solutions to prevent statelessness”, he added.
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