Cairo 23 October 2012

ANHRI Condemns, the decision issued by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior to ban the demonstrations and the peaceful assemblies without license. Which ANHRI considers to be a violation to the most basic rights of the citizen to express his opinion peacefully.

The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry announced, on Monday October 22, the baning of the assemblies of more than 20 people in a public place without a license from the appropriate governor and the Ministry of the Interior. In addition to giving the police the right to prevent and resolve any assembly without a license. Moreover, they also have the right to attend the licensed rally and they have the right to disperse it in the case of whether the continuance of it will breach the security, the public order, crime took place in or is contrary to the public morals. Such arbitrary procedures announced by the Kuwaiti authorities after the events of Sunday 21 October, which was known as the march of”the nation’ dignity” to express its refusal to changing the electoral law, which was excessively suppressed by the Kuwaiti authorities.

In a related matter, the Ministry of the Interior has decided to release all detainees of this march without dropping the charges pressed on them such as: leading and organizing un-licensed march, participating in riots, throwing stones at the security forces and resisting arrest.

ANHRI said that “The decision issued by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior to ban marches and peaceful assemblies is a clear violation to the freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful demonstration, which are guaranteed by all the international treaties and conventions signed by Kuwait, and represents a new attempt to legitimize the repeated attacks on the peaceful demonstrations, which have increased recently, in an attempt to silence the voices that call for the political and social reforms in the country.

ANHRI added that “the Kuwaiti authorities to review and revoke such arbitrary law if it desires to change the image that emerged recently, which witnessed many of the human rights violations”.

ANHRI demanded “the Kuwaiti authorities to respect the freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful demonstration. In addition to implement its obligations stipulated by treaties and conventions signed it”.