Human rights in Kuwait

Human rights in Kuwait are a topic of significant concern. Most notably, Kuwait's handling of the stateless Bedoon crisis has come under substantial criticism from international human rights groups and the United Nations.[1][2][3] Kuwait has the largest number of stateless people in the entire region.[2][3] Kuwait also faces significant criticism for the human rights violations against foreign nationals, Kuwaiti Women, and LGBT people.

LGBT Rights

LGBT people living in Kuwait face discriminatory laws and public attitudes. The penal code contains some general provisions against debauchery and immorality that can be used to punish LGBT people.

  • Article 193 of the Penal Code punishes "consensual intercourse between men of full age (from the age of 21)" with a term of imprisonment of up to seven years.[4]
  • Article 198 prohibits public immorality. In 2008, the law was expanded to also outlaw "imitating the appearance of a member of the opposite sex" with fines and or imprisonment.[5]

Foreign nationals infected with AIDS/HIV are deported.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Human Rights Council, Forty-sixth session, 22 February–19 March 2021, Agenda item 3, Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development. Written statement* submitted by International Council. Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights, a nongovernmental organization in special consultative status. The Secretary-General has received the following written statement which is circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31". United Nations. 17 February 2021. p. 2. Archived from the original on 5 April 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Kuwait Bedoon - Special Rapporteurs, United Nations, Requesting Investigation of Kuwait's Treatment of the Bedoon". Un Special Procedures Request. January 2019.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Kuwait's humanitarian disaster Inter-generational erasure, ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Bedoon". OHCHR. 2019.
  4. ↑ "STATE-SPONSORED HOMOPHOBIA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-12-22. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  5. ↑ "Cross-dressers' heads shaved in Kuwait". Gulf News. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  6. ↑ "Kuwait deports 13,000 foreigners in just nine months". internationalinvestment.net. 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2020-11-14.