Let Kuwait Become a State of Law Again

The bitter reality and horrific events that have been taking place in Kuwait confirm, unfortunately, that we’re living in an era similar to the Iraqi invasion of 1990. Unlike the invasion, however, the enemy we confront today stems from within. It is guided by Kuwaiti citizens who have evaded the law, spread corruption, robbed people of their lives, embezzled public money, and escaped any accountability or punishment. These individuals benefit from a set of archaic rules that are filled with loopholes, allowing them to continue enacting their crimes undeterred. Take, for example, Article 153 of the Penal Code, which limits the punishment that can be imposed on a man accused of killing his wife, mother, or sister to three years of imprisonment, or a fine of 3,000 rupees in place of life imprisonment, or the death penalty. One can’t help but wonder why only male murderers are able to escape such punishment by simply paying a fine, while a woman committing the exact same crime will be sent to a lifetime in prison instead? Let’s not forget that the Sharia and the holy Quran view murderers the same way; whether they are male or female.  The only way to put our country back on track is to ensure equal treatment before the law for all. When a person commits murder, he or she must face a death sentence, regardless of whether they are male or female. We therefore demand that the minister of interior swiftly implement the death penalty for every murder case and deter potential aggressors from committing their crime. It is time that we restore the rule of law in Kuwait and provide equal treatment for all Kuwaitis, male and female, before the law. – Bahija Behbehani (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)