Key Takeaways
• Over 42,000 individuals lost Kuwaiti citizenship since 2024, affecting public figures and marginalized groups.
• Decree-Law No. 116/2024 eased revocations, eliminating judicial appeals for Supreme Committee decisions.
• Revocations create stateless Bedoon, cutting access to healthcare, education, travel, and government jobs.
Kuwait 🇰🇼 has recently been in the middle of a strong and widespread effort to take away citizenship from thousands of people, including well-known public figures, activists, and those who got citizenship through naturalization. In just the last six months, around 42,000 people have lost their Kuwaiti citizenship, which is the legal status that gives someone full rights as a member of the country. Some think the real number might be even higher since the start of these actions in 2024, according to several reports including those highlighted by VisaVerge.com.
This sweeping move has caused a lot of worry and debate inside and outside Kuwait 🇰🇼. Many are questioning the fairness of the country’s Nationality Law and the way the government is using it not only to punish those who may have broken the law but also, it seems, to silence critics and control certain groups.
The government says it is acting to protect the country’s safety and ensure only those who truly qualify keep their citizenship. Reasons given for taking back citizenship include having another nationality (which is sometimes not allowed by Kuwaiti law), using fake documents, lying on citizenship applications, and other breaches described under Kuwait 🇰🇼’s new Nationality Law. The rules changed under Decree-Law No. 116/2024, making it easier for the government to strip people of their nationality if they are found guilty of fraud, holding a second nationality without permission, or doing things seen as threats to the state’s safety.
But there is strong criticism from both inside Kuwait 🇰🇼 and from people all around the world. Many critics, including international human rights groups, say that these new rules and the way they are being used are unfair. They claim the government is not just targeting criminals but also people who speak up against the authorities and people from marginalized backgrounds who may not have a strong voice.
Who Is Being Affected by the Revocations?
It is not just ordinary people who are losing citizenship. Several famous people have been stripped of their Kuwaiti nationality. Some of the most well-known cases include:
– Islamic preacher Nabil Al-Awadi
– Journalist Mubarak Al-Omair
– Popular singer Nawal Al-Kuwaitia
– Actor Dawood Hussein
There are also reports that Ahmad Al-Tarabulsi, a former national goalkeeper, could be among those affected. The revocation of citizenship is not just a piece of news for these individuals—it completely changes how they live their lives.
When people lose their Kuwaiti nationality under these laws, they often become “stateless.” This means they have no country that recognizes them as a citizen. In Kuwait 🇰🇼, stateless people are called Bedoon. Being stateless is extremely difficult. People in this position lose their passports and national ID cards, so they can’t prove who they are. This creates huge problems and barriers in everyday life.
Biggest Challenges Facing Stateless People
Here’s what happens to those who become stateless after losing their Kuwaiti citizenship:
– The government takes away their passport and national ID cards, so they can no longer travel overseas.
– They lose access to basic rights such as free healthcare and public education, even though these services are provided to Kuwaiti citizens.
– They cannot apply for jobs in the government, which in Kuwait 🇰🇼 is one of the main sources of employment.
– If they need urgent medical help or want to study abroad, they can’t easily leave the country because they do not have valid travel documents.
This problem became even worse in the middle of 2024 when Kuwait 🇰🇼 stopped issuing “Article 17” travel documents. Article 17 documents are a kind of temporary passport that used to be given to stateless people so they could travel for important reasons, such as getting medical treatment or going to school abroad. Now that these documents are no longer available, many people feel trapped in the country, unable to get help or take opportunities elsewhere.
Why Is the Government Doing This?
Officials in Kuwait 🇰🇼 say the aim is to create a fairer system by making sure only eligible people keep Kuwaiti citizenship. They believe it is necessary to stop people who:
– Hide another nationality while pretending their only citizenship is Kuwaiti.
– Use fake documents or other dishonest methods to get benefits as Kuwaiti citizens.
– Commit crimes that seriously threaten the security of the country.
Decree-Law No. 116/2024 made the rules even tougher. Now, the government can also take away citizenship for newer reasons, like fraud and crimes that threaten the safety of the state.
The final decision on citizenship is made by the Supreme Committee for Nationality Affairs, which is led by Sheikh Fahad Al-Youssef. One of the biggest problems, critics say, is that decisions from this committee cannot be challenged in court. There is no right to appeal, meaning if the committee takes away someone’s citizenship, that person cannot take the issue before a judge to try and get it back.
Global Outcry and Criticism
These changes have led to loud protests from human rights groups around the globe. Human Rights Watch and Minority Rights Group International are among those who have spoken out, saying Kuwait 🇰🇼 should stop taking away citizenship until its laws follow international rules meant to protect people from being left harmless and stateless.
Both groups say that going forward with these citizenship revocations could lead to more and more people being trapped without a country, without basic rights, and without a way to fix their status. They call this a clear breach of the human rights agreements that Kuwait 🇰🇼 has signed, which are supposed to protect everyone’s right to a nationality.
International critics also argue that this move is not really about stopping crime or making the system fair. Instead, they suggest, it is about shutting down voices that disagree with the leadership, especially after Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah recently suspended the parliament in late 2024. After this suspension, the new push to use the Nationality Law to silence critics, activists, and certain groups grew stronger.
They also point out that the law seems to target women who became Kuwaiti citizens by marrying Kuwaiti men, as well as those fighting for the rights of the Bedoon community. By removing citizens from these two groups, it makes these people and their children even more vulnerable.
Impact on the Country and Its People
The effects of these citizenship revocations ripple through almost every part of Kuwaiti society:
– Families are being split apart when some members lose their status but others remain citizens.
– Children from these families may not be able to go to school or see a doctor.
– Young adults cannot get jobs in government, go to university, or even get married because they are seen as non-citizens.
– People who lose their citizenship cannot travel, even for life-saving care or education opportunities abroad.
This widespread loss of basic rights not only hurts individuals and families, but also divides communities and shrinks trust in the government. For those directly affected, the loss is more than paperwork—it’s a rejection of their place in society.
The Legal and Political Background
Why has this issue become so big in 2024? The main reason is the amendment (change) to the Nationality Law with Decree-Law No. 116/2024. This newly changed law made it much easier for the government to take away citizenship. It increased the ways that someone could lose their citizenship and gave more power to the Supreme Committee for Nationality Affairs, which is led by a top government official.
One important detail is that when the Supreme Committee acts, their decisions can’t be challenged in court. This takes away the protection of the legal system and makes people vulnerable to mistakes or unfair decisions.
The amendment has caused a lot of debate inside Kuwait 🇰🇼. Some people support the changes, saying that keeping citizenship rules strict helps stop dishonesty or threats to safety. Others argue that the law is being used unfairly to punish people who challenge the leadership or who come from groups that already have less power in society, such as women who married citizens or those trying to help the Bedoon.
Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that the lack of clear legal protection, combined with growing use of these new laws, means that many more people could lose their Kuwaiti nationality for reasons that have little to do with real crime or security threats.
Different Views on the Campaign
There are many sides to the discussion about this campaign:
1. Government position: The leaders say they are defending the country by making sure only eligible people keep their passports and all the rights that come with them. They believe this campaign discourages dishonest actions and strengthens faith in the country’s passport and benefits.
2. Critics’ perspective: Critics argue that targeting activists, journalists, religious leaders, women, and the Bedoon is unfair. They say that removing nationality in this way silences people who disagree or ask for more rights, and worsens inequality.
3. Human rights view: Groups like Human Rights Watch want Kuwait 🇰🇼 to bring its Nationality Law in line with international standards. They say citizenship revocations should not happen in secret, with no chance to appeal, and never in a way that makes people stateless with no country that will protect them.
Steps for Those Affected
People facing loss of citizenship in Kuwait 🇰🇼 have very few options right now. Without legal backing to appeal, many rely on help from international advocacy groups or hope for political changes that could make it easier to regain their rights. Some may try to get protection in other countries, but as stateless persons, moving across borders is almost impossible without any accepted travel documents.
Those who want to learn more about citizenship rules in Kuwait 🇰🇼 and official government statements can check the Public Authority for Civil Information website, which is the government portal for civil and citizenship information.
Looking Ahead
What comes next for Kuwait 🇰🇼 and those affected by recent citizenship revocations is uncertain. If the current campaign continues, more people—possibly including other public figures or whole families—could lose their legal status. This has the potential to reshape Kuwaiti society and draw even more attention from the international community. At the heart of the debate, however, remains the question: Who gets to belong in Kuwait 🇰🇼, and who makes that decision?
Laws about who is or isn’t a citizen touch on some of the most basic rights and identities people have. Changes to these laws, especially when they mean stripping thousands of their status, do more than just change papers—they shape lives, futures, and the image of the country in the world.
As this conversation continues, many are hoping for a pause and fair review of the changes made to the Nationality Law. They want to see due process restored, appeals allowed, and a return to a system that protects against statelessness. This would not only help those hurt by the current campaign, but also bring Kuwait 🇰🇼 in line with global promises to respect human rights and justice.
In summary, while the government says its aim is to protect national security and stop dishonest actions, many see the current campaign under the Nationality Law as unfair, especially as it seems to hit out at those least able to defend themselves. The global community’s response and any steps taken by Kuwaiti leaders in the coming months will show whether the country can find a balance between safety and the rights of all its people.
Learn Today
Nationality Law → Kuwait’s legal framework that defines citizenship rules, rights, and grounds for revocation, updated under Decree-Law No. 116/2024.
Stateless → A designation for individuals not recognized as citizens by any country, losing access to legal rights and protections.
Supreme Committee for Nationality Affairs → The government body led by Sheikh Fahad Al-Youssef that decides Kuwaiti citizenship status, with unchallengeable authority.
Bedoon → A term for stateless people in Kuwait who lack nationality and are denied essential legal, social, and economic rights.
Article 17 travel document → A former temporary passport Kuwait issued to stateless persons, discontinued in 2024, restricting international movement for Bedoon.
This Article in a Nutshell
Kuwait has revoked citizenship for over 42,000 people, including high-profile figures, under Decree-Law No. 116/2024. Critics argue this targets dissenters and creates stateless Bedoon, stripping essential rights. With no legal appeal available, families are fractured and basic freedoms are lost. Pressure for reform grows internationally.
— By VisaVerge.com
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