Kuwait

Kuwait continued to restrict free speech, using provisions in the constitution, the national security law, and other legislation to stifle political dissent. Despite recent reforms, migrant workers do not have adequate legal protections, and remain vulnerable to abuse, forced labor, and deportation for minor infractions. In 2017, Kuwait’s Constitutional Court struck down an overbroad 2015 law that required all Kuwaiti citizens and residents to provide DNA samples to authorities violated the right to privacy. The government has yet to ensure a transparent and fair process to address the citizenship concerns of an estimated 100,000 Bidun, who claimed to be stateless in Kuwait.