UN rights office ‘concerned’ as Kuwaitis lose citizenship

DUBAI: The United Nations´ human rights office voiced concern on Wednesday after tens of thousands of Kuwaitis were stripped of citizenship, many of them women.

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.