Report Highlights

• Kuwaiti authorities have recently made amendments to the Nationality Law and started a massive revocation of nationalities from previously naturalised persons. The state claims that the move is due to concerns for national unity and national security.

• The massive revocation has affected more than 30,000 people, mainly the foreign wives of Kuwaiti citizens, who obtained their nationality based on the regulations of the Law by previous governments since 1980. All of them had to revoke their former nationality as a prerequisite to obtain the Kuwaiti nationality at the time.

• The state did not offer a comprehensive plan to address the needs of those who were stripped of their nationality. They found themselves without access to documentation for basic travel or services, such as resuming jobs, accessing bank accounts, or the ability to own their property or run their businesses. Some were disabled individuals in need of proper medical care, or patients who needed to travel for care.

• Kuwait has one of the highest numbers of stateless populations in the world, amounting to more than 90,0000 persons, because of its restrictive Nationality Law, that limits naturalisation for those who reside in Kuwait for marriage, work, or lack of other nationality. Amendments to the Law over the years have never addressed these issues, rather, they have exacerbated them.

• Community figures, former parliamentarians, scholars, economists, and activists have been advocating against these amendments, demanding referral to legal experts and a legal recourse to address nationality concerns. All are advocating against amendments to Article 8 of the Law which stripped thousands of naturalised wives of Kuwaiti citizens of their nationality.

• Many of those who advocated against stripping of nationalities, have faced legal intimidation and fabricated charges by the authorities, and some had to leave the country.

• Facing a public backlash, authorities promised to treat the naturalised wives, who were stripped of nationality, as Kuwaiti citizens, therefore raising legitimate concerns of the rationale of stripping of stripping nationality in the first place.

• Kuwait is not party to the Refugee Convention of 1951 or its 1967 Protocol, both are crucial instruments to meaningfully address the growing stateless population rights.

Introduction

On 25 September 2024, the Kuwaiti Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the 1959 Nationality Law (No. 15), concerning the acquisition and withdrawal of Kuwaiti citizenship. By January 2025, thousands of Kuwaiti citizens have been stripped from their Nationality by a decision of the Higher Committee to Investigate the Kuwaiti Nationality. It is important to note that the changes, with serious implications on the rights and duties of those affected, are part of a broader context in which balances and checks on decisions of the Ruling authorities and the executive branch of the government are being exceedingly eroded.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) has published a detailed analysis of the decision of the Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad, in May 2024 to dissolve the Parliament. In addition, amendments of the Kuwaiti constitution are planned without guarantees of public oversight as the Parliament has been dissolved since May 2024. This has created a legal limbo where the only legislative source of government becomes the Emir, without any meaningful mechanism for the public to address the decisions issued by the Court or refer to articles of the Kuwaiti Constitution to safeguard their rights. In addition, a massive repressive campaign against outspoken critics, including former parliamentary members have been ongoing to silence any dissent. The Kuwaiti authorities stated that the amendments are aimed to strengthen national identity and address perceived issues related to the acquisition of citizenship, as well as concerns about national security and the integrity of the Kuwaiti nationality.

The changes in the Kuwaiti Nationality Law, so far, have exacerbated the problem of stateless persons (Bedoon) in Kuwait, who number over 92,000, at one of the highest numbers in the world. This report will highlight the Nationality Law’s main amendments and rationale as expressed by Kuwaiti authorities. It will also discuss the implications on those who were stripped of their nationality, in terms of social and economic impact, access to life-saving healthcare, mobility and ability to resort to legal means. In addition, the report will highlight the reaction of Kuwaiti civil society and activists on the implications of such amendments. It will also highlight cases of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), inside or outside Kuwait, who were severely affected for advocating against the amendments and the revocation of citizenship rights.

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