Entry #5432: Homosexual activity in Kuwait

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Region	Kuwait
Issue	Homosexual activity
Status	Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Start Date	Jan 1, 1960
End Date	(none)
Description	Article 193 of Kuwait’s Penal Code explicitly prohibits male homosexual sex for up to seven years in prison. For lesbians, there is no specific law criminalizing it, however it is still technically illegal. This is because in Kuwait you are not able to consent to sex until you’re married. So, since gay marriage is not legal in Kuwait and you can’t give consent until your married, lesbian sex is illegal.
Sources	https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/kuwait#:~:text=The%20penal%20code%20criminalizes%20adultery,to%20seven%20years%20in%20prison.

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Revision History (33)

Jul 3, 2024

deleted by qcksws. invalid sources, desc was way off

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	Old Value	New Value (Current)

Jul 3, 2024

edited by qcksws. replacing links that are broken, added HRW link

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	Old Value	New Value
Sources	https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/KW%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1960)%20-%20OR(ar).pdf https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/kuwait	https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/kuwait#:~:text=The%20penal%20code%20criminalizes%20adultery,to%20seven%20years%20in%20prison.
Sources	Show Difference https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/KW%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1960)%20-%20OR(ar).pdf https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/kuwait https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/kuwait#:~:text=The%20penal%20code%20criminalizes%20adultery,to%20seven%20years%20in%20prison.

May 12, 2024

edited by Unknownmiles. The month and day changed to January 1st some reason

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	Old Value	New Value

May 12, 2024

edited by Unknownmiles. Changing status to illegal because you can only give consent after marriage

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Male illegal, female legal	Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Start Date	Jun 2, 1960	Jan 1, 1960
Description	Up to 7 years in prison for males. Legal for females. (Decriminalization pending)	Article 193 of Kuwait’s Penal Code explicitly prohibits male homosexual sex for up to seven years in prison. For lesbians, there is no specific law criminalizing it, however it is still technically illegal. This is because in Kuwait you are not able to consent to sex until you’re married. So, since gay marriage is not legal in Kuwait and you can’t give consent until your married, lesbian sex is illegal.
Description	Show Difference Up to 7 years in prison for males. Legal for females. (Decriminalization pending) Article 193 of Kuwait’s Penal Code explicitly prohibits male homosexual sex for up to seven years in prison. For lesbians, there is no specific law criminalizing it, however it is still technically illegal. This is because in Kuwait you are not able to consent to sex until you’re married. So, since gay marriage is not legal in Kuwait and you can’t give consent until your married, lesbian sex is illegal.
Sources	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/	https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/KW%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1960)%20-%20OR(ar).pdf https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/kuwait
Sources	Show Difference https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/ https://database.ilga.org/api/downloader/download/1/KW%20-%20LEG%20-%20Penal%20Code%20(1960)%20-%20OR(ar).pdf https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/kuwait

Mar 3, 2024

edited by maya_kh. edit law

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)	Male illegal, female legal
Description	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending. There is no law protecting either genders from discrimination. It truly depends on which police officer or individuals you encounter. No gay man or woman can ask for protection and imprisonment is applied to anyone breaking sharia law. "	Up to 7 years in prison for males. Legal for females. (Decriminalization pending)
Description	Show Difference fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending. There is no law protecting either genders from discrimination. It truly depends on which police officer or individuals you encounter. No gay man or woman can ask for protection and imprisonment is applied to anyone breaking sharia law. " Up to 7 years in prison for males. Legal for females. (Decriminalization pending)

Dec 18, 2023

edited by LGBTsoutheastasian. updated

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal (other penalty)	Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)

Dec 18, 2023

edited by LGBTsoutheastasian. I will say this count as imprisonment in general since there are no possibility of death penalty or corporal punishment being applied in Kuwait for homosexuality

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	Old Value	New Value
Sources	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/
Sources	Show Difference https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/ https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/

Jul 20, 2023

edited by Vito12. If this is wrong please change it

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Male illegal, female legal	Illegal (other penalty)
Description	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending.	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending. There is no law protecting either genders from discrimination. It truly depends on which police officer or individuals you encounter. No gay man or woman can ask for protection and imprisonment is applied to anyone breaking sharia law. "
Description	Show Difference fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending. There is no law protecting either genders from discrimination. It truly depends on which police officer or individuals you encounter. No gay man or woman can ask for protection and imprisonment is applied to anyone breaking sharia law. "

Jan 29, 2022

edited by bubblyara

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Sep 7, 2018	(none)

Reports (2)
Sources are invalid or broken 
Jan 8, 2023
Newer law has been passed "Supreme Court has ruled it unconstitutional to imprison homosexual males"
Feb 16, 2022

Sep 6, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Aug 20, 2018	Sep 7, 2018
Sources	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/
Sources	Show Difference https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/09/06/homosexuality-illegal-countries-gay-sex-india/

Aug 27, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Aug 7, 2018	Aug 20, 2018

Aug 5, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 28, 2018	Aug 7, 2018

Jul 28, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 24, 2018	Jul 28, 2018

Jul 25, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 18, 2018	Jul 24, 2018
Description	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced.	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending.
Description	Show Difference fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decimalization pending.

Jul 18, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 11, 2018	Jul 18, 2018

Jul 11, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 9, 2018	Jul 11, 2018
Sources	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association
Sources	Show Difference https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual,_Trans_and_Intersex_Association

Jul 9, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jul 1, 2018	Jul 9, 2018

Jul 4, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Description	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced.
Description	Show Difference fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.

Jul 1, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jun 18, 2018	Jul 1, 2018

Jun 18, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jun 15, 2018	Jun 18, 2018
Description	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.	fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending. fine and up to 6 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.

Jun 15, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Jun 4, 2018	Jun 15, 2018
Description	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced.	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.

Jun 4, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	May 31, 2018	Jun 4, 2018

May 31, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	May 2, 2018	May 31, 2018

May 2, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Apr 22, 2018	May 2, 2018

Apr 22, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Apr 5, 2018	Apr 22, 2018
Description	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced.
Description	Show Difference Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.

Apr 5, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Feb 26, 2018	Apr 5, 2018
Description	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced.	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.
Description	Show Difference Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced. Decriminalization pending.

Feb 27, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Feb 21, 2017	Feb 26, 2018
Sources	https://lgbt-rights-hrw.silk.co/	https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/
Sources	Show Difference https://lgbt-rights-hrw.silk.co/ https://76crimes.com/76-countries-where-homosexuality-is-illegal/

Feb 21, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Description	Up to 7 years in prison.	Up to 7 years in prison. Not enforced.

Feb 21, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Sep 25, 2017	Feb 21, 2017

Sep 25, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)	Male illegal, female legal
End Date	Sep 5, 2017	Sep 25, 2017

Sep 5, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
End Date	Aug 10, 2017	Sep 5, 2017
Description	6 years in prison.	Up to 7 years in prison.
Sources	No	https://lgbt-rights-hrw.silk.co/

Aug 10, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value (Original)	New Value
End Date	Feb 10, 2017	Aug 10, 2017
Description	6 years in prison under defacto law.	6 years in prison.

Feb 10, 2017

created by Ausyk

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	Original entry
Status	Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Start Date	Jun 2, 1960
End Date	Feb 10, 2017
Description	6 years in prison under defacto law.
Sources	No