Kuwait, Middle East

Kuwait has the world's fifth largest proven oil reserves and is the ninth richest country in the world per capita. Kuwait is a Muslim nation and thus both homosexuality and cross-dressing are treated as crimes and signs of immorality. However, as is the case with other "moderate" Muslim nations in the Middle East, there are few recorded cases of the criminal laws being enforced. Article 193 of the Penal Code punishes homosexuality between men, over the age of 21, with up to seven years imprisonment. If the conduct involves persons under the age of 21, then imprisonment can be for a maximum of ten years.

 

 

Kuwait deports 76 gay men in crackdown

World of Politics, Fear and Loathing Kuwait has deported 76 homosexuals and shut down 22 massage parlours this year, the head of a morals committee has said. The gay men were apprehended during nationwide campaigns aimed at enforcing the law regulating massage parlours, Mohammad Al Dhufairi told the Kuwait Al Seyassah daily. The committee, made… Read more »

Kuwait: Parliamentary panel offers to ‘help gays and cross-dressers end their suffering’

A National Assembly panel in Kuwait has offered to ‘end the suffering’ of gay people and cross-dressers. According to the Kuwait Times, MP Hamdan Al-Azmi, president of the ‘negative phenomena committee’ made the offer to gay people yesterday. He said: “Some cross-dressers are going through physiological suffering, and maybe they can be cured if they… Read more »

Kuwait arrests young trans woman and her mother

Kuwait continues with ‘morality’ campaigns that also target LGBT people, and in particular the trans community, with at least 16 transgender women now imprisoned A young transgender woman described as ‘mutashabeh’ (‘boy in women clothing’) was spotted and then arrested along with her mother by a police patrol in Salmiya, Kuwait city. A security source… Read more »

Kuwait arrests two trans women

Kuwait continues with ‘morality’ campaigns that also target LGBT people, and in particular the trans community, with at least 13 transgender women now imprisoned Two transgender women were arrested this weekend in Kuwait. The two are the latest to be arrested in a continuous ‘morality’ campaign that had in just over two months imprisoned 13… Read more »

Kuwait Continues Campaign Against LGBT People In The Name Of Morality

At least ten teenagers have been arrested by the police in Kuwait for ‘satanic rituals’ as part of ‘morality’ campaigns, reports say, with LGBT people being targeted under the same umbrella of ‘vice’ and ‘immorality.’ On 8th of June, 10 adolescents, ranging from 16 to 18 years old were entrapped during a raid and the… Read more »

Kuwait: Mass arrest of people accused of “vice” and “immorality”

Kuwaiti media organisations report that almost 150 people have been arrested this weekend for “immoral” behaviour, including four gay men and two transgender women. Most reports have alleged that these men and women were engaged in “prostitution,” though others have labelled them as “fun seekers.” Emirates 24/7 reported that most of the arrested were expatriates,… Read more »

Kuwait: Trans man arrested for ‘imitating opposite sex’

A transgender man has been arrested as Kuwait continues a campaign against ‘immorality’ which includes LGBT people among its targets. Three separate incidents were reported by Kuwaiti media yesterday all in a sensationalist manner which appears designed to stir up public feeling. In the first, an 18-year-old Kuwaiti transgender man was arrested after a fight… Read more »

Kuwait: Reports highlight police brutality to trans community

Kuwaiti police have been torturing and sexually abusing transgender women continually since 2007, claimed a report released by Human Rights Watch published yesterday. The most recent case of police violence was reported on 7 January 2012, where three transgender women were brutally detained. Gay Middle East has also been reporting on this continual abuse and… Read more »

Gay Kuwait News and Reports

There is very little Internet information about gay life in Kuwait. What there is often comes from western visitors with limited knowledge and unique experiences. Listed here are numerous links to gay Muslims, gay Middle East sites, and a couple of unusual news reports about transsexuality. These are followed by a short list of blogs… Read more »