It has been decided to revoke the citizenship of 930 people in the Persian Gulf country of Kuwait. A state-run committee on citizenship verification of the country has decided to revoke the citizenship of a record number of people in one day after verification.
Gulf News, based in the United Arab Emirates, reported this news in a report.
The decision was taken by the High Level Committee on Verification of Kuwaiti Citizenship. Now it will be sent to the cabinet for approval.
If the citizenship of these 930 people is revoked, the number of Kuwaiti citizenships revoked in the last 20 days will be 1,617.
The High Level Committee on Kuwaiti Citizenship Verification is chaired by the country's Acting Prime Minister Fahd Al Youssef. Youssef, who is also in charge of the defense and interior ministers, said that this is a really big number.
Fahd Al Youssef told the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai that all those on the list are deportable and their cases are clear. We are not doing injustice to anyone. We are only removing injustice from Kuwait and the people of Kuwait.'
He also said, 'What happened with the granting of citizenship is one of the biggest crimes against Kuwait. This crime cannot be allowed to continue.'
Fahd Al Youssef expressed surprise that there are two Syrians among the 930 cases of cancellation of citizenship. It is unbelievable but true that they are brothers in Kuwait and cousins in Syria. They have taken Kuwaiti citizenship through fraud. Another 132 people got citizenship illegally through them.'
Al Youssef also said that a committee will be formed in Kuwait's General Directorate of Nationalities to receive appeals against the decision on revocation of citizenship.
Kuwait, a country of about 4.9 million people, is mostly expatriate. The country has recently taken strict measures to prevent citizenship fraud and dual citizenship aimed at protecting the national identity.
Hundreds of people have had their citizenships revoked since March due to dual citizenship or obtaining citizenship through fraud, which is prohibited under Kuwaiti law.
Kuwait's Ministry of Interior has launched a hotline, where information can be provided about dual nationals or people who have obtained citizenship through fraud. The ministry urged the public to provide information in this regard and promised to protect the privacy of those providing the information.
