In the past four months, Kuwaiti authorities have revoked the citizenship of 32 people based on various allegations. Despite attempts to justify these actions in legal terms, the move is widely seen as a campaign targeting political dissent. Kuwaiti law grants authorities the right to strip a person of citizenship for threatening national security, undermining national unity, being a dual citizen or acquiring a criminal record within 15 years of naturalization.
In June, officials announced the names of five people whose citizenship was revoked based on Article 5 of the citizenship law: “If evidence is available from competent authorities showing that he has promoted principles that will undermine the social or economic system of the country or belongs to a foreign political party. In this case, the court may also revoke the citizenship of those who obtained it from him by dependency.” The list included Abdullah al-Bargash, a former member of parliament, and three of his siblings. Bargash is an Islamist politician active in the opposition.
The list also included Ahmed Jaber al-Shammari, the owner of a newspaper and TV channel closely associated with the opposition. Both media outlets have been suspended on several occasions. Some staff members were summoned for interrogation after an opposition statement was read live during the news following the dissolution of the parliament in June 2012. After revoking Shammari's citizenship, authorities also rescinded his media permits, destroying the jobs of 700-800 people employed by him.
Despite the statements and protests stirred by their decision, Kuwaiti authorities did not stop there. The Cabinet claimed the revocations were to protect “national unity, security and sovereignty.” In August, a list containing an additional 10 names was released and included Nabil al-Awadhi, a cleric widely known in the region for his TV talk shows on al-Watan. Awadhi had been stateless, a Bedoon, before being naturalized in 2003. The citizenship law allows authorities to naturalize public figures like Awadhi under the designation of offering “valuable contributions.” These 10 people had been stripped of their citizenship, authorities said, after a review of their records revealed false information in their claims or documents. Officials did not provide details to support the allegations.
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