The economic implications are also enormous, as many of those who were
stripped of their nationality were unable to resume their jobs or manage
their properties and financial belongings without official documentation
or proof of nationality. The social insurance in Kuwait has stopped
dispensing the retirement salaries for those whose nationalities were
stripped.The social insurance system legislation requires that dispensing
retirement salaries are only allowed for Kuwaiti and other Gulf States
citizens and not stateless persons, who will require a modified legal
regulation. (15) Those business owners whose nationality were stripped
cannot resume their businesses or have the legal means to seek justice. (16)
“I’m an original Kuwaiti and married to a legally-naturalised Saudi wife
since 2015… She and her friends whose nationality were stripped were
fired from their jobs and their bank accounts were frozen… we have a
mortgage on our house that she will not be able now to pay… would she go
to prison? What did we do wrong exactly?”
Abo Omar, a Kuwaiti man whose wife’s nationality was stripped. (17)
Talented artists and media persons who resided in Kuwait and contributed
to the rise of art and culture in Kuwait have also been subjected to
revocation of nationality, based on the amendment to Article 5 which
used to allow granting the Kuwaiti nationality to those who contributed
to the state. Well-known names who were affected include the singer
Nawal, the actor Dawood Hussein, and the media announcer and
blogger Nuha Nabeel, (18) and their dependents.
The implications of stripping citizens of their nationalities also gravely
affects their health and wellbeing, particularly for those who are affected
with chronic conditions and disabilities. A newspaper published an
alarming number of a total of 1,119 nationalities stripped from 322
special needs persons, 514 of their guardians, 264 of their caregivers,
and 19 employees who handle their cases. (19)
(15) https://www.alraimedia.com/article/1710860
(16) https://alseyassah.com/article/426169
(17) https://x.com/abo_3oomaar/status/1864169200077386118
(18) https://www.bbc.com/arabic/articles/cdr0ljx4zvko
(19) https://x.com/imegrop/status/1883583182915719314?s=46
16
Kuwait: Amendments to Kuwaiti Nationality Law
pose serious threats to human rights