Jan 17 2012 |
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Authorities see stricter penalties against bedoons - HRW urges govt to respect bedoons' right to protest
By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: Amidst call for stricter penalties against bedoons who took part in a recent wave of demonstrations in Kuwait, Human Rights Watch (HRW) once again urged the Kuwaiti authorities to respect people's right to protest and freedom of expression/assembly. Speaking with Kuwait Times on the sidelines of the launch of an HRW report on the issue of transgenders recently, Nadim Houry, deputy director Middle East and North Africa noted there has been clear violations of bedoons' rights - be it from the threat to prevent them from peaceful gathering, violent dispersals and arrest."We are in close contact with many of the witnesses and participants who have given us information - we are communicating this information to the authorities here and have been calling them to respect the right of freedom of assembly, which is enshrined in the Kuwaiti constitution, in addition to their rights to gain citizenship," he said. "It's Kuwait's international obligation to respect these rights," he added.
Houry said HRW released a report on the bedoon issue in June last year calling the authorities to respect bedoons' rights. "Again two days ago, we issued a press statement about the violent dispersals of the bedoons. We are engaged in research and advocacy on bedoons for years now, our latest big report was issued last summer, and we informed Kuwait on the importance of granting citizenship to many of the bedoons who have legitimate claims and to improve treatment and stop discrimination against them," he asserted.
Anonymous sources quoted in the report indicate that these measures include some tough procedures such as sacking servicemen in the interior and defense ministries whose children participated in demonstrations which featured confrontations with the police. Other measures include taking back their housing allotment, canceling their security ID - which is considered a temporary alternative for a civil ID - as well the two toughest penalties which include disqualifying a protestor's right to citizenship as well as deporting those who the government can prove belong to other countries. Police are reportedly going to keep an eye on social networking websites to detect "agitators who encourage violation of the law and spread chaos", so that they can face legal action, the sources added.
© Kuwait Times 2012
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