S TAT E L E S S B Y D E C R E E In relation to the 21 November 2024 revocations, when 1,647 people had their citizenships removed in a single day, one report stated that the cases included divorcees and widows of Kuwaiti citizens who had obtained citizenship through Article 8 of the Kuwaiti Nationality Law (see Legal Framework), which permits women married to a male Kuwaiti citizen to acquire citizenship if she was married to him for 15 years or gave birth to a child through their spouse.140 In some cases, widows were informed their citizenship was revoked the day their husbands died.141 The GoK continued with purpose into 2025. A 13 February 2025 Instagram post by commentator Zaid Benjamin stated that revocations reached 33,200 over six months (see image). A media report on 22 May 2025 indicated that the pace and breadth of the revocations has not slowed.142 It spoke of 1292 cases, comprising 967 revoked in the “national interest”; 189 for acquisition through fraudulent means; 73 for misrepresentation and document falsification; another 50 for “national interest”; eight for dual nationality; four under Article 8 and one “for actions considered to undermine allegiance to the state” On 29 May 2025, in response to the scale of the revocations, the UN human rights officials criticised the scale of the campaign.143 UN officials reportedly “voiced concern”, a�er “tens of thousands of Kuwaitis were stripped of citizenship, many of them women”. The New Arab news platform cited AFP estimates that “more than 37,000 people, including at least 26,000 women, have lost Kuwaiti nationality since August 2024. UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango said that " 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," adding that "Stripping people of their nationalities has a serious impact on their economic, social, cultural, and political rights [and] "retroactively revoking citizenship... and extending this to their descendants, raises serious human rights concerns." While, by 29 May 2025, more than 14,000 people had filed appeals with the relevant committee, Seif Magango said that “Their inability to challenge these decisions in court also raises serious concerns.” The UN office has urged Kuwait to "review the nationality law to ensure it complies with international human rights standards and consider sustainable solutions to prevent statelessness." Some of the notable moments or developments in 2025 included: • February 2025- A�er participating in an X Space addressing the mass revocations, “Iman”, a victim of denaturalization, is targeted by a smear campaign online, followed by a criminal investigation for “insulting the state”. She is summoned to a police station, interrogated, subjected to ill-treatment and deported. • 16 February 2025 - Mass denaturalisation of more than 9,000 people. The group primarily consists of naturalized women and their dependents, including some security-related cases. • 1 May 2025 - The Supreme Committee announces the revocation of citizenship from 434 people, 154 of which were previously naturalized for “great services” to Kuwait or had pre1965 residence, and were officially denaturalised in the “supreme interests of the state”. • 22 May 2025 - Ministry of Interior announces that more than 1,292 people are stripped of citizenship. 967 of which are on grounds of “national interest”. • 11 August 2025 - It is reported that nearly 50,000 people have been stripped of their citizenship during the campaign. • August 2025 - Facing increased criticism and pressure, the Ministry of Interior pledged to treat married women who were naturalised like Kuwaitis, to once again receive their salaries. The Ministry temporarily allowed them to travel using Kuwaiti passports that marked them as non-citizens, under the condition they begin the process to obtain their original nationality. Under “citizenship”, the passport stated “married to a Kuwaiti”. • September 2025, the Kuwaiti government ceased the routine publication of statements on revocations, despite the practice continuing, reflecting the normalisation of the policy, though news reports have continued on and off into 2026. 51