Amnesty calls on Kuwait to drop charges against Bidun activist

Amnesty International has called on Kuwaiti authorities to drop charges against Bidun activist Mohammad Al-Bargash, who is being prosecuted for speaking about the human rights of the Gulf state’s stateless Bidun population.

In a statement released today ahead of the expected appellate verdict tomorrow, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Aya Majzoub, said: “For over three years, Mohammad Al-Bargash has been one of the most vocal advocates calling for the Bidun’s human rights in Kuwait. It is shameful that Kuwaiti authorities are punishing Al-Bargash simply for seeking to prick the conscience of the Kuwaiti government and people, in order to secure their respect for the right of the Bidun to be treated as equals in their own country.”

“His prosecution for speaking about the human rights of Kuwait’s stateless is not only unjust but should never have come to pass. Authorities must quash all charges against him and end their persistent discriminatory practices against the Bidun community,” Majzoub added.

On 3 September 2023, plain clothes officers from the State Security Agency detained Al-Bargash at his workplace without an arrest warrant.

He is accused of “spreading false news and rumours abroad” that would “undermine the country’s prestige and standing” after he conducted an interview with Nabaa TV, a Saudi opposition channel broadcasting from Lebanon, discussing the Bidun situation.

He was held in prison for more than seven weeks and was then eventually released when a trial court acquitted him on 25 October 2023. The prosecution appealed, and the appellate court is poised to issue its verdict tomorrow.

He has previously faced prison time for participating in a peaceful demonstration for Bidun rights in 2022.

The Bidun, numbering around 100,000 individuals, constitute a stateless population in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti government denies Bidun children access to free government schools attended by Kuwaiti children, and does not provide healthcare to Bidun on equal terms with Kuwaiti nationals.

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