Kuwait Times

Published Date: January 21, 2008
By B Izzak, Staff Writer

KUWAIT: MP Faisal Al-Muslim yesterday blasted the New York-based Human Rights Watch for criticizing the arrest of several men for dressing like women in public. He said a law passed by the Assembly preventing imitating of the opposite sex must be implemented and respected, describing the HRW criticism as "interference". The National Assembly voted on May 30 to amend the penal code by adding a new article stating that people who imitate the appearance of the opposite sex will be punished for a maximum of o
ne year in jail and a fine of up to KD. 1,000.

Muslim insisted that authorities in Kuwait should ignore HRW's remarks, advising the rights body to adopt the Kuwaiti law in dealing with such cases in the United States and the West. The rights watchdog urged Kuwaiti authorities on Friday to release from prison 14 men jailed in recent months for having dressed as women in public, describing a law passed by parliament as "repressive". It quoted friends of the prisoners as saying the men were being subjected to "physical and psychological abuse", including
beatings, and that none had access to legal representation.

The parliamentary committee studying alien practices in Kuwaiti society, headed by Muslim, also discussed with Interior Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah a number of immoral violations during the New Year celebrations and security impact of "marginal" expatriate workers in the country. Muslim told reporters that the ministry informed MPs that a number of violations have been reported and that a number of coffee shops and restaurants have been shut down as a result.

Muslim said the ministry explained that prior permission must be obtained for holding any party, including private parties. He said the committee warned the minister of the serious impact of marginal expatriate manpower and called for action on the demographic structure in the country. It also called on the minister to raise the issue with the Cabinet that all ministries should take strong actions against visa traders who recruit such labourers, Muslim said.

The committee also pointed out that a decision several years ago by the interior ministry to allow nationals of 34 mostly Western countries to come to Kuwait without a visa "has failed to achieve its objectives and accordingly must be revised", he said. Muslim said a large number of violations have been committed under the decision. The committee has decided to coordinate with other MPs to hold a special session in March to discuss "alien practices in Kuwait".

On his part, Sheikh Jaber said the interior ministry will study remarks raised by MPs regarding moral issues, adding that the ministry has done a comprehensive study on marginal workers, paper companies which recruit labourers and visas.