Current Version
| Region | Kuwait |
| Issue | Censorship of LGBT issues |
| Status | State-enforced |
| Start Date | Feb 16, 2022 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." There is still prevalent deportations for transgender people they are defined as cross-dressers to police. |
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/kuwait-overturning-law-that-criminalized-imitation-of-the-opposite-sex-a-breakthrough-for-transgender-rights/ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-10/barbie-movie-banned-lebanon-kuwait https://web.archive.org/web/20220216203214/https://www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28 https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/kuwait#:~:text=The%20penal%20code%20criminalizes%20adultery,to%20seven%20years%20in%20prison. https://timeskuwait.com/news/kuwait-deports-3000-cross-dressers-transgender-expats-in-11-months/ |
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Revision History (4)
| Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait and Lebanon banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." There is still prevalent deportations for transgender people they are defined as cross-dressers to police. | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." There is still prevalent deportations for transgender people they are defined as cross-dressers to police. |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait and Lebanon banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait and Lebanon banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." There is still prevalent deportations for transgender people they are defined as cross-dressers to police. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/kuwait-overturning-law-that-criminalized-imitation-of-the-opposite-sex-a-breakthrough-for-transgender-rights/ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-10/barbie-movie-banned-lebanon-kuwait https://web.archive.org/web/20220216203214/https://www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28 https://ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_World_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_report_global_legislation_overview_update_December_2020.pdf (page 155) | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/kuwait-overturning-law-that-criminalized-imitation-of-the-opposite-sex-a-breakthrough-for-transgender-rights/ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-10/barbie-movie-banned-lebanon-kuwait https://web.archive.org/web/20220216203214/https://www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28 https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/kuwait#:~:text=The%20penal%20code%20criminalizes%20adultery,to%20seven%20years%20in%20prison. https://timeskuwait.com/news/kuwait-deports-3000-cross-dressers-transgender-expats-in-11-months/ |
Show Difference | ||
| Old Value (Original) | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). In August 2023, Kuwait and Lebanon banned the 'Barbie' movie, claiming it "promoted homosexuality." |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/kuwait-overturning-law-that-criminalized-imitation-of-the-opposite-sex-a-breakthrough-for-transgender-rights/ https://web.archive.org/web/20220216203214/https://www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28 https://ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_World_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_report_global_legislation_overview_update_December_2020.pdf (page 155) | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/kuwait-overturning-law-that-criminalized-imitation-of-the-opposite-sex-a-breakthrough-for-transgender-rights/ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-10/barbie-movie-banned-lebanon-kuwait https://web.archive.org/web/20220216203214/https://www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28 https://ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_World_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_report_global_legislation_overview_update_December_2020.pdf (page 155) |
Show Difference | ||
Reports (1)
- Note field is incorrect "Lebanon did not ban the movie."
| Original entry | |
|---|---|
| Status | State-enforced |
| Start Date | Feb 16, 2022 |
| End Date | (none) |
| Description | The Kuwaiti Constitutional Court has overturned Article 198 of the Penal Code, which criminalized “imitation of the opposite sex”, because it violates Article 30 of the constitution that guarantees personal freedom. However, there's still censorship of LGBT issues under Article 21 of the Press and Publications Law (Law No. 3) (2006), which prohibits the publication of anything that would insult public morals. This law was extended to include online publications under the Law Regulating Electronic Media (Law No. 8) (2016). |
| Sources | https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/kuwait-overturning-law-that-criminalized-imitation-of-the-opposite-sex-a-breakthrough-for-transgender-rights/ https://web.archive.org/web/20220216203214/https://www.cck.moj.gov.kw/ar/news/Pages/newsdetails.aspx?newsid=28 https://ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_World_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_report_global_legislation_overview_update_December_2020.pdf (page 155) |