Report on Torture in Kuwait (July 2016)

Introduction

In this report, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) aims to present some of the issues and cases of human rights defenders as they relate to the violation of the UN Convention Against Torture and Other, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) in light of the upcoming third review of Kuwait by the Committee against Torture (CAT). The 58th session of the CAT will take place in Geneva, between 25 July and 12 August 2016.

Human rights defenders in Kuwait continue to be targeted and subjected to judicial harassment, intimidation and ill treatment at the hands of the authorities. Restrictions remain in place on freedom of expression and the judicial system is used to attack human rights defenders, in particular Bedoon activists, as the plight of the ‘stateless’ Bedoon community who account for approximately 180,000 of the population remains unresolved.

Despite national constitutional and legal provisions in place to criminalise torture and guarantee a right to a fair trial including prompt access to a lawyer, these provisions often go ignored in violation of articles one and two of the UNCAT. Human rights defenders are often arrested and subjected to intimidation and beaten without recourse to any legal representation or fair procedures.

 For the full report click above on "Download File". It is also available in Arabic.