Three individuals, formerly citizens, face the revocation of their nationality status
Kuwaiti Government's Discretionary Power to Revoke Citizenship
In a recent development, the Kuwaiti government has been exercising its power to revoke citizenship under Article 21 bis (A) of Amiri Decree No. 15 of 1959 on the Kuwaiti Citizenship Law and its amendments.
This provision allows the government to withdraw nationality not only from individuals but also from those who acquired citizenship through affiliation or dependency on them. The decision to revoke citizenship is made when the government deems it necessary, often due to concerns over national security, loyalty, or related grounds under Kuwaiti law.
Recent instances of citizenship revocation have been seen in Cabinet decisions, affecting a substantial number of individuals, including a large number of women who had naturalized through marriage.
Individuals whose citizenship is revoked under this provision continue to receive the benefits previously accorded to Kuwaiti citizens until death. They are issued a blue passport without nationality status and a civil ID similar to a Kuwaiti citizenship card, allowing them to be treated practically as Kuwaitis despite the loss of formal nationality.
In summary, Article 21 bis (A) grants the Kuwaiti government the power to revoke citizenship for specific individuals and their affiliated persons based on criteria established by the state, with measures in place to maintain social benefits for affected persons.
The exact text of Article 21 bis (A) was not found in the search results, but the recent official practice confirms its use for broad revocation powers accompanied by transitional social protections. This news is reported by Al-Rai daily.
The exercise of the Kuwaiti government's discretionary power to revoke citizenship, as outlined in Article 21 bis (A) of the Kuwaiti Citizenship Law, falls under the purview of politics and policy-and-legislation. This is particularly true given the recent Cabinet decisions on citizenship revocation affecting numerous individuals, including those in general-news headlines. Furthermore, the ongoing debate surrounding national security, loyalty, and related grounds under Kuwaiti law, which often serve as the basis for these revocations, underscores the political and legal significance of this issue.
