U.S. Mission to International
Organizations in Geneva

As delivered by Sean Garcia

The United States welcomes the Kuwaiti delegation to the UPR Working Group.

We recommend that Kuwait:

1. Amend the 1979 Public Gatherings Act, the 2015 Cybercrime Law, and the 2006 Press and Publications Law to protect the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression, and release those detained for exercising these rights.
2. Strengthen women’s rights by amending the Nationality Law to ensure Kuwaiti women have equal rights with men to transmit citizenship, and by beginning data collection on gender-based violence and ensuring access to justice for all victims, to include domestic workers.
3. Provide legal documentation and basic services to all stateless persons, including the Bidoon community.

We are saddened by the recent suicides in the Bidoon community.  We welcome Kuwait’s initial steps to hold accountable security officials who committed abuses, especially of detainees, and urge the government to address impunity in government corruption cases.