Key Takeaways
- Kuwait revoked citizenship of 42,000 people since August 2024, citing fraudulent naturalization, dual nationality, and rule violations.
- New retroactive amendments to Kuwait’s 1959 Nationality Law enable citizenship revocation for crimes, security threats, or rule infractions.
- Stateless individuals face severe consequences, including loss of healthcare, education, and employment rights, sparking international criticism and calls for reform.
In a move that has shocked many in Kuwait 🇰🇼 and beyond, the Kuwaiti government has revoked citizenship from 42,000 people in a sweeping campaign that began in August 2024. The scale of these citizenship revocations is unprecedented. Authorities have justified their actions by claiming a need to address fraudulent naturalization, dual nationality, and citizenship acquired through deceptive means. However, the absence of judicial oversight and the retroactive application of new rules have raised serious concerns among international human rights groups.
A Record-Breaking Campaign of Revocations
Kuwait’s Supreme Committee to Investigate Kuwaiti Citizenship has led this wide-ranging crackdown. Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Interior, heads the committee. By January 2025, over 10,000 people had already lost their Kuwaiti citizenship. Between August and December 2024 alone, more than 35,000 individuals faced the same fate. These actions reached a peak when, on February 18, 2025, the official gazette published new decrees revoking the citizenship of 9,464 individuals. Just weeks later, on March 6, 2025, an additional 464 people had their citizenship stripped.
This has brought the total to 42,000, a number that underscores the unprecedented scale of the government’s action. While Kuwait argues that many of the affected individuals gained citizenship fraudulently or violated nationality rules, critics have highlighted the lack of transparency and fairness in the process.
Targets and Allegations
The government has cited several reasons for these actions. Authorities claim they are addressing cases of fraudulent naturalization, such as individuals who allegedly presented false information during the citizenship process. They also say they are cracking down on dual nationality, which is prohibited under Kuwaiti law, and cases involving foreign women who married Kuwaiti men allegedly for citizenship purposes but divorced shortly after obtaining it.
While the government insists that these actions are necessary to safeguard the integrity of Kuwaiti citizenship, affected individuals have little recourse. Decisions from the Supreme Committee are final and do not allow appeals. Instead, they are merely forwarded to the Cabinet for approval. Critics argue that the absence of an appeals process opens the door for arbitrary decisions and potential abuse of power.
Changing the Rules: Legal Amendments Under Scrutiny
The Kuwaiti government has changed laws to support these revocations. In December 2024, amendments were introduced to the country’s 1959 Nationality Law, through Decree-Law No. 116/2024. These changes give authorities more power to revoke citizenship for various reasons:
- Those convicted of crimes against national security.
- Individuals involved in offenses against religious practices or the Emir.
- Entire families if deemed by authorities to pose a threat to the state’s interests or external security.
One of the most controversial aspects is that these new regulations have been applied retroactively, which experts say violates Article 32 of the Kuwait Constitution. This retroactive application has left many individuals vulnerable to losing their citizenship based on activities that were not grounds for revocation at the time they occurred.
Impacts on Those Affected
The consequences of losing citizenship are severe. Kuwait does not allow dual citizenship, meaning most individuals who are stripped of their nationality risk becoming stateless. Stateless individuals lose access to basic rights and services, including healthcare, education, and employment. They also find it nearly impossible to obtain essential documents like passports or identification cards.
This new wave of statelessness exacerbates existing problems in Kuwait, especially for the already marginalized “Bidoon” community (stateless residents who have long faced discrimination). Creating yet more stateless persons brings challenges not only for the individuals involved but also for the Kuwaiti government and the broader region.
Some groups, though, have been given limited protections. For example:
– Women married to Kuwaiti men, those divorced, and widows who lose their status are allowed to retain their jobs and salaries.
– Retired individuals will keep their pensions.
Still, these measures do little to address the bigger issues of statelessness and permanent loss of rights.
International Criticism
The international community has largely condemned Kuwait’s campaign to revoke citizenship. On February 11, 2025, a coalition of human rights organizations, including Minority Rights Group and MENA Rights Group, issued a joint statement criticizing these actions. The groups demanded that Kuwait immediately suspend the process until its laws align with international human rights standards.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also spoken out. The UNHCR has urged Kuwait to restore citizenship to those who were stripped of it without proper legal procedures. The agency also emphasized the need to allow affected individuals to challenge these decisions in court.
This criticism comes alongside warnings that the current situation could worsen Kuwait’s human rights record. Beyond citizenship revocations, Kuwait’s government has tightened its control over civil society, dissolved parliament, and imposed restrictive measures such as mandatory biometric data collection for residents and citizens. These moves, coupled with plans to share this biometric data within the Gulf Cooperation Council, have heightened fears about privacy and potential misuse of information.
Larger Context: A Political Climate of Control
The citizenship revocations are not occurring in isolation. Many experts see them as part of a broader effort by the Kuwaiti leadership to consolidate power and suppress dissent. For instance, in May 2024, Kuwait’s Emir dissolved the country’s parliament, leaving it without a legislative body for as long as four years. Suspension of certain constitutional provisions has further fueled concerns about political repression.
Observers believe that the citizenship campaign could be yet another tool for exerting political and social control. By targeting specific groups, the government may be aiming to silence dissent or reduce challenges to its authority. However, such tactics run the risk of creating long-term instability, as stateless and marginalized populations often face heightened risks of exploitation, resentment, and poverty.
What Happens Next?
As of March 2025, there are no signs that Kuwait intends to slow down or reverse its citizenship crackdown. By continuing to enforce retroactive laws and denying judicial oversight in this process, the government is likely to face mounting international criticism and pressure.
For tens of thousands of individuals who have already lost their legal status, the consequences are difficult to overstate. Many are left without the protections that come with citizenship, and efforts to navigate life as stateless persons in Kuwait are fraught with challenges. Additionally, the growing number of stateless people in the country could create significant humanitarian and security problems—not only for Kuwait but for the region as a whole.
A Call for International Standards
Though Kuwait remains firm on its stance, global attention is intensifying. Organizations like the UNHCR and regional human rights groups are expected to continue pressuring Kuwait to address these issues in alignment with international norms. Some activists have also called upon global powers to intervene diplomatically or impose sanctions to compel Kuwait to respect human rights.
In the meantime, the fate of the 42,000 individuals impacted—and the thousands more potentially at risk—remains uncertain. Will Kuwait reconsider its policies, or will it proceed unchecked in its methods? One particular concern is whether other nations will take similar measures, creating wider ripple effects.
Though Kuwait has sought to justify its revocation campaign as a measure of safeguarding national integrity, the human cost and the damage to its international reputation may outweigh these goals. Analysis from VisaVerge.com illustrates that the country’s challenges in balancing sovereignty with international rights obligations will likely remain a contentious point for years to come.
For a deeper look at Kuwait’s nationality laws or to understand the international standards surrounding citizenship, readers can visit the UNHCR’s statelessness page.
Learn Today
Fraudulent Naturalization → The process of obtaining citizenship through false or deceptive information, violating legal requirements for naturalization.
Dual Nationality → A status where an individual holds citizenship in two countries simultaneously, often restricted under Kuwaiti law.
Retroactive Application → Implementing a law or rule to affect actions or decisions made before the law or rule was enacted.
Statelessness → The condition of not being recognized as a citizen by any country, resulting in loss of basic rights and services.
Judicial Oversight → Supervision by courts to ensure legal processes are followed and to prevent abuses of power by authorities.
This Article in a Nutshell
Kuwait’s Citizenship Crackdown: A Human Rights Crisis Unfolds
Kuwait’s sweeping revocation of 42,000 citizenships has sparked global outrage. Critics highlight retroactive laws, lack of appeals, and rising statelessness. While the government cites fraudulent naturalizations, international groups demand justice for affected individuals. This unprecedented campaign raises urgent questions about human rights, governance, and citizenship as a tool of control.
— By VisaVerge.com
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