Cairo October 7, 2012

ANHRI denounces the use of excessive force in dispersing a peaceful demonstration for the state-less which led to arrest some of them and injuries others.

Kuwaiti forces used the excessive force to disperse a peaceful demonstration that took place in the freedom square in “Jahraa” on Tuesday October 2, 2012. The state-less called for obtaining the Kuwaiti nationality and some other rights. The Kuwaiti forces used the tear gas bombs and gas bombs which led to injuries to some demonstrations and arrest to some other, among them were number of children before they were released in a few hours. The forces chased the demonstrators in the side streets. 11 detainees are now arrested due to this demonstration and among them Kuwaiti citizens.

In a continuation for the series of the violations, the security forces banned some journalists of the state-less from entering the square to cover the set-in which tool place in the square on Friday, as Kuwaiti citizens consolidated with the state-less. In addition, they have arrested several activists who supported and organized the demonstration. “Hamed El-Anzy” and “Mohamed Habib” who were arrested on October 4 without DA warrant before they were released a few hours later. Moreover, they have harassed and threatened some of the state-less activists like “Abdul-Hakim El-Fadly” who were arrested more than once before.

The state-less are a group of people who lived in Kuwait since decades but the government refuses to recognize them as citizens and refuses to grant them the nationality. There are differences in estimating their numbers and this problem is similar to some other gulf countries like “Qatar” and “UAE”.

ANHRI said that “the disperse of the state-less demonstration deemed to be a continuation of procrastination and its ignore to the case of nationalizing the state-less and approve their rights as citizens”.

ANHRI said that “the security solution proved its faliure and suppress will be worthless as an attempt to convince the people to stop claiming their rights. The Kuwaiti government has to form ad-hoc committee to review the “state-less” case and solve it”.

ANHRI calls the Kuwaiti authorities to immediately release the detainees and guarantee their safety. It also calls them to respect the right to peaceful demonstration to all the detainees who resides within the territory.

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