S TAT E L E S S B Y D E C R E E A catalogue of human rights violations shaped the citizenship stripping campaign The GoKʼs 2024-2026 citizenship stripping campaign did not happen in a vacuum: it was only one aspect of unfolding socio-political upheaval in the country and formed one component of a catalogue of human rights violations - some longstanding, grave in character and some widespread or generalised - shaped Kuwait ʼs 2024-2026 citizenship stripping campaign (see Appendix 4). 5 In May 2024, f ive months following his appointment, the ruler of Kuwait suspended Kuwait ʼs National Assembly, or parliament. The suspension of parliament removed checks and balances provided by this par t of government and marked a consolidation of power. 6 May 2024 Five months after his appointment, the ruler of Kuwait suspends the National Assembly. An independent member of a UN human rights body expressed concern that the suspension contributed to political instability and eroded the effective exercise of political rights. 7 Following the suspension of the National Assembly, its powers have been assumed by the Amir and Council of Ministers, which answers to the Prime Minister, appointed by the Amir. The Amir is currently the sole arbiter of power in the country, and rules by decree. The suspension of the National Assembly violates Ar ticle 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), viz. the right and oppor tunity to take par t in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives [and] (b) to vote and be elected at genuine periodic elections [...] guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors. 8 A 4 June 2026 ar ticle in the Economist noted that: “ Talk shows have been banned. Diwaniyas—Kuwaitʼs discussion forums—have been closed. Restrictions on the media extend even to WhatsApp groups of three or more. Municipal elections have been cancelled. “ Weʼve become a dictatorship,” says one academic.” 9 The impacted persons discussed in this repor t are not, overwhelmingly, from the approximately 92,000 or more people in Kuwait generally called Bidoon (see glossary, above). Def ined by the government as stateless from 1962 to the mid1980s, the GoK now refers to them as “illegal residents” though UNHCR and the international community continues to def ine members of the community as stateless. 9