12 June 2014

Kuwait: Broken pledges, four years after its first Universal Periodic Review

Alkarama has submitted its shadow report in view of the Universal Periodic Review of Kuwait, which will take place in March 2015. This report provides information on Kuwait's implementation of recommendations made during its first review in 2010, especially on the issues of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, arbitrary detention and torture, as well as the issue of impunity of the perpetrators of torture in prisons.

During its first review in 2010 in the framework of the first cycle (see Alkarama's first review report), Kuwait accepted numerous recommendations, including to consider "reviewing and withdrawing the many and extensive reservations to the human rights treaties to which it is State party". Nevertheless, this recommendation, amongst others, was never implemented.

Following the popular protests in 2011, Kuwait was the scene of several important changes until 2014. Following the dissolution of democratic-elected parliament in 2012 and the massive protests, the authorities strengthened their politics against the opposition in a serious breach to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Those practices and human rights violations are of particular concern. In fact, several sentences were pronounced during the last few months against demonstrators and bloggers on the basis of improper accusations. Alkarama calls on the States of the Human Rights Council to condemn such repression against fundamental rights and freedoms and to make recommendations thereon.

In the context of the Universal Periodic Review, Alkarama suggests that States make recommendations regarding the separation of powers and the establishment of an independent national human right institution compliant with the Paris Principles. Alkarama's submission focuses also on systematic discriminations against the stateless minority (commonly known as "Bidun") and encourages the international community to address recommendations on those issues to the Kuwaiti authorities and urge them to put an end to all human rights violations.