Kuwait Archives - UN Watch

Kuwait Thanks the West for Its Freedom —Then Tries to Censor Hillel Neuer

Eden — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:30:00 +0000

Addressing the United Nations, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh al-Sabah praised the allied nations that liberated Kuwait in 1991 “in support of truth and justice.” When UN Watch’s Hillel Neuer took the floor at the UN Human Rights Council, he exposed Kuwait’s suppression of freedoms, a betrayal of those from the West who died to protect it—prompting the Kuwaiti delegation to try and silence him.

Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh al-Sabah:

I recall here gratefully some of the most prominent success stories of the Untied Nations when the world, 35 years ago, stood in solidarity with the state of Kuwait and in support of truth, justice, and the rule of law.

And this message of support remains in the heart of every Kuwaiti citizen today, as well as the efforts to liberate Kuwait from a brutal invasion.

Hillel Neuer, UN Watch:

Distinguished delegates, we recently heard the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh al-Sabah, telling the UN how 35 years ago, allied nations liberated Kuwait “in support of truth, justice and the rule of law.”

Indeed, hundreds of Americans, Britons and others gave their lives to free Kuwait.Now, today, we consider its record.

On May 10, Emir al-Sabah unilaterally and unconstitutionally dissolved Kuwait’s parliament. When activists complained, he threw them in prison.

According to the U.S. state Department in Kuwait, there are credible reports of torture, arbitrary arrest, serious restrictions on free speech and freedom of the press, and trafficking in persons including forced labor.

Kuwait, Is this what you mean by justice?

Under the cybercrime law, Kuwait jails peaceful dissidents for tweets. Prisoners are hanged with no due process. Women are denied equal rights. Gays are criminalized.

Human rights defenders, journalists and academics have been stripped of their nationality in violation of international law.

Kuwait, Is this what you mean by rule of law?

68% of Kuwait’s residents are non-citizens with no right to vote. Naturalization is rarely granted and entirely prohibited for non-Muslims.

Last year, the cabinet approved the Emir’s decree, removing the right of foreign women to acquire citizenship.

In Kuwait, 100,000 residents known as “Bidoun” are denied citizenship, healthcare, jobs and education. When Bidoun poet Mona Karim attempted to return to Kuwait, she was expelled at the airport.

Migrant workers remained trapped in the kafala system, denied basic protections, their passports confiscated, and their labor exploited.

And so today, we ask Kuwait, 35 years ago, hundreds worldwide gave their lives to restore your freedom. Do you now honor their sacrifice by denying freedom to your own Kuwaiti people?

UNHRC Chair:

Point of order from the delegation of Kuwait.

Kuwait:

This NGO has deviated from the question before us and has addressed issues that are not covered by this item on the agenda. We would ask you to rectify them.

UNHRC Chair:

Thank you. I’ll give the floor back to the speaker of United Nations Watch.

Hillel Neuer, UN Watch:

Mr. Chair, Kuwait’s attempt to silence us is exactly what they do to their own people at home, proving the very point we were making.

I thank you.

At the UN, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh al-Sabah praised the allied nations who, in 1991, liberated Kuwait “in support of truth and justice.”

When I took the floor to ask if Kuwait now honors that sacrifice by denying freedom to its own people—Kuwait tried to silence me. pic.twitter.com/0LEdf4rMO7

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) October 16, 2025

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"Why is UN Ignoring Women Victims in Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and UAE?"

unwatch — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 12:39:49 +0000

“Why is UN Ignoring Women Victims in Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and UAE?”

Statement by UN Watch
Panel on Violence Against Women
UNHRC 35th Session, 13th June 2017
Delivered by Ms. Sonia Zvedeniuk

Thank you, Mr. President.
United Nations Watch supports the engagement of men and boys in the prevention of violence against women. Regrettably, in many cases, violence against women is actually legitimized and reinforced by the state in their laws and practices.
It is said that engagement is the answer. But is it taking place?
In a number of cases, this Council’s experts are attempting to visit such countries. In Northern Nigeria, Section 55 of the Penal Code allows husbands to beat their wives. In 2013, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women requested a visit. Four years later, no response.
In that same year, the rapporteur asked to visit Egypt, a country with one of the highest rates of sexual harassment. Yet to date, no visit has taken place.
In Pakistan, women and girls are subjected to honor killings and child marriages. In 2012, the working group on discrimination against women requested a visit. Five years later, no response.
In 2014, the group requested a visit to Iran, where a woman needs authorization from her husband to apply for a passport. Three years later, no response.
Mr. President, there is a separate problem, which is that many of the worst abusers have never even received a request to visit. Indeed there is a question of priorities.
While this Council’s mandate on violence against women has conducted visits to Sweden, the Netherlands, and Australia, not one request has ever been made for Yemen, where over 10 percent of girls under the age of 15 are married to adult men, and where a woman is considered half a person before the court.
No request for Iraq, where thousands of women are victims of honor killings; none for Bahrain or Kuwait, countries where marital rape is legal; and none for the United Arab Emirates, where premarital sex is punishable by one hundred lashes. Not one request.
Mr. President, Where is the engagement?
And I would like to ask the panel: What can be done to increase scrutiny and protection for the victims, vulnerable women and girls worldwide, who need it most?
Thank you, Mr. President.

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UN Watch slams election of Congo & Kuwait to UN rights council, hails defeat of Nicaragua

unwatch — Fri, 20 May 2011 08:27:38 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

Urges new members India, Indonesia, Philippines
to improve stance on resolutions for victims

NEW YORK, May 20 — UN Watch slammed the UN’s election today of Congo and Kuwait to the Human Rights Council, but hailed the defeat of Nicaragua, after a campaign with other rights groups that spotlighted the poor records of all three countries. Click here for full report PDF — Executive summary below.

“Congo, Kuwait and Nicaragua have poor records in respecting the basic human rights of their own citizens, and have consistently voted the wrong way on UN initiatives to promote and protect the human rights of others,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.

“With today’s election, only 20 out of 47 of the new members rank as free democracies, while the rest — a majority of 58% — fail to meet basic democracy standards, rated as either not free or only partly free by Freedom House’s annual survey,” said Neuer.

“With members like Bahrain, China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, joined today by Congo and Kuwait, the Human Rights Council is still a case of the foxes guarding the chickens,” said Neuer.

“Still, Nicaragua’s defeat is important. It’s currently one of the most shameless defenders of Libya’s Col. Moammar Qaddafi and Syrian President Bashar Assad. So two dictators who are killing their own people today lost a key ally. We’re also delighted that Syria was pressured into pulling its bid last week,” said Neuer, who led a campaign by UN Watch and 25 human rights groups (unwatch.org/stopsyria).

Kuwait’s practice of torture and arbitrary arrest was condemned recently in a report submitted to the UN by the Kuwait Society for Human Rights. According to the US State Department, Kuwaiti security forces abuse prisoners. Authorities limit freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion, and limit freedom of movement for foreign workers and stateless Arab residents (called “Bidoon”). Women do not enjoy equal rights. Worker rights are limited, with expatriate workers subject to severe limitations of rights and discrimination.

UN Watch called on new members India, Indonesia and the Philippines and Burkina Faso to improve their voting records. All three last year refused to support UN resolutions for human rights victims in Iran, Burma, and North Korea.

Results of Today’s UNGA Elections to the UNHRC

191 ballots
188 present & voting

AFRICA
Burkina Faso 182
Botsawa 177
Congo 176
Benin 174
DRC 3
South Africa 1
Egypt 1

ASIA
Indonesia 184
Philippine 183
India 181
Kuwait 166
Syria 5

EASTERN GROUP
Czech 148
Romania 131
Georgia 89

LATIN AMERICA (GRULAC)
Chile 159
Costa Rica 138
Peru 136
Nicaragua 98

WESTERN GROUP (WEOG)
Italy 180
Austria 177
Australia 2

UN WATCH EVALUATION OF CANDIDATES
FOR 2011-2014 MEMBERSHIP
ON THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Click here for full report PDF

As submitted to UNGA member states on May 17, 2011 and presented in a press briefing at United Nations Headquarters, New York, May 19, 2011.

Executive Summary

This report assesses each candidate country’s record of domestic human rights protection and its UN voting record, based on the criteria for UN Human Rights Council membership established by UNGA Resolution 60/251 (2006). We find that only 10 out of 17 candidate countries are qualified. Three candidates have poor records and are not qualified to be Council members. Four countries fall somewhere in between, with qualifications that are questionable.

Not Qualified: Congo, Kuwait, Nicaragua

Questionable: Burkina Faso, India, Indonesia, Philippines

Qualified: Austria, Benin, Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Peru, Romania

The absence of competition in three out of the five regional lists calls into question the very premise and rationale of the election. Nevertheless, UNGA member states can—and should—refrain from casting their votes for countries that are not qualified. Candidate countries with questionable credentials should, at a minimum, be asked to commit to redress the shortcomings—in their human rights record and their UN voting records—as identified in this report.

Click here for full report PDF

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Rights groups oppose UN rights seats for Congo, Kuwait, Nicaragua; question India, Indonesia, Philippines

zadmin — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:53:15 +0000

NEW YORK, May 18 — Three days before the UN chooses 15 new member states to its Human Rights Council, human rights groups today said Congo, Kuwait and Nicaragua failed to meet the membership criteria, while the qualifications of India, Indonesia, Philippines and Burkina Faso were “questionable.” Click here for full report PDF — and here for Executive Summary.

The voting recommendations were submitted yesterday to the New York missions of UN member states by the Geneva-based UN Watch, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, Directorio, and Initiatives for China, which is headed by former Chinese prisoner of conscience Yang Jianli. The rights groups will be appearing at a UN briefing on Thursday, together with dissidents, to lobby for an improved council membership. Current members of concern include China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Russia, Bahrain and Pakistan.

“Congo, Kuwait and Nicaragua have poor records in respecting the basic human rights of their own citizens,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer, “and have consistently voted the wrong way on UN initiatives to promote and protect the human rights of others.”

“As an observer state in recent UN human rights council sessions, Nicaragua strongly praised the governments of Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi and Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, attempting to shield them from scrutiny. It will be an insult to their victims — and a defeat for the global cause of human rights — if the UN now elects Nicaragua as one of the council’s 47 voting members.”

The report also called on India, Indonesia, Philippines and Burkina Faso to pledge improvements prior to the Friday vote. The report documents how India last year refused to support UN resolutions for human rights victims in Iran, Burma, and North Korea, and failed to join other democracies and human rights groups in opposing a UN resolution prohibiting criticism of Islam, which experts said restricted freedom of speech.

The report found that 10 of the 17 candidates are qualified: Austria, Benin, Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Peru, and Romania.

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Congo, Kuwait, Nicaragua don’t belong on UN rights council

zadmin — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:02:52 +0000

EVALUATION OF CANDIDATES FOR 2011-2014 MEMBERSHIP ON THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Click here for full report PDF

As submitted to UNGA member states on May 17, 2011. To be presented in a press briefing United at Nations Headquarters, New York, May 19, 2011.

Executive Summary

Not Qualified: Congo, Kuwait*, Nicaragua

Questionable: Burkina Faso, India, Indonesia, Philippines

Qualified: Austria, Benin, Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Peru, Romania

Click here for full report PDF

* All reports say that Kuwait will run instead of Syria. However, as of May 17, the UN website still lists Syria as a candidate, and Kuwait’s name is yet to appear: https://www.un.org/en/ga/65/meetings/elections/hrc.shtml.

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Rights groups oppose UN rights seats for Congo, Kuwait, Nicaragua; question India, Indonesia, Philippines, Burkina Faso

unwatch — Tue, 17 May 2011 08:30:32 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

GENEVA, May 17 — Three days before the UN chooses 15 new member states to its Human Rights Council, human rights groups today said Congo, Kuwait and Nicaragua failed to meet the membership criteria, while the qualifications of India, Indonesia, Philippines and Burkina Faso were “questionable.” Click here for full report PDF — Executive summary below.

The voting recommendations were submitted today in a report to the New York missions of UN member states by the Geneva-based UN Watch, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, Directorio, and Initiatives for China, which is headed by former Chinese prisoner of conscience Yang Jianli. The rights groups will be appearing at a UN briefing on Thursday, together with dissidents, to lobby for an improved council membership. Current members include non-democracies such as China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Russia, Bahrain and Pakistan.

“Congo, Kuwait and Nicaragua have poor records in respecting the basic human rights of their own citizens,” said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer, “and they have consistently voted the wrong way on UN initiatives to promote and protect the human rights of others.”

The report found that 10 of the 17 candidates are qualified: Austria, Benin, Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Peru, and Romania.

EVALUATION OF CANDIDATES FOR 2011-2014 MEMBERSHIP
ON THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Click here for full report PDF

As submitted to UNGA member states on May 17, 2011. To be presented in a press briefing at United Nations Headquarters, New York, May 19, 2011.

Executive Summary

Not Qualified: Congo, Kuwait*, Nicaragua

Questionable: Burkina Faso, India, Indonesia, Philippines

Qualified: Austria, Benin, Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy, Peru, Romania

Click here for full report PDF

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Kuwait may replace Syrian bid for seat on UNHRC

Luis Pelaez — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:17:44 +0000

May 10, 2011
The Jerusalem Post
By Jordana Horn

NEW YORK – Kuwait has told Western officials it will bid for the Arab seat on the UN Human Rights Council, reported on Tuesday by Turtle Bay, the UN’s foreign policy blog. Such a move would most likely bring a conclusion to fellow Arab nation Syria’s controversial campaign to join the council.

While Syria has not announced a decision to withdraw from the race, a UN-based diplomat told the blog that Syria has been engaged this week in talks with Kuwait and other Arab countries about “the prospect of swapping Syria’s rights seat for another UN-based post in the future.”

The UN General Assembly is scheduled to select via vote the Human Rights Council’s 15 new members on May 20. Syria, one of four nations originally chosen as part of the UN Asian bloc up for a possible seat, has come under fire for its violent crackdown on unarmed protestors at home.

Similarly, Iran abandoned its campaign to join the council last year in the face of widespread opposition. In exchange, Iran received a seat on the UN Commission of the Status of Women. Most recently, the council suspended the membership of Libya over concerns regarding its brutal treatment of demonstrators.

UN Watch, a Geneva-based NGO which has taken the lead in opposing Syria’s candidacy, hailed the news that Syria is expected to drop its bid, but expressed concern that it might be replaced by Kuwait – “far better than Syria, but another non-democracy nevertheless.” UN Watch also expressed opposition to Syria receiving a different position instead, tantamount to a consolation prize for abandoning its pursuit of a council seat.

“The defeat of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s cynical candidacy is a welcome message to his brutalized population that the world is repulsed by the regime’s ongoing massacres,” Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, said in a press release. “The Asian states at the UN never should have endorsed the brutal Syrian regime in the first place. And now it would be squandering a golden opportunity if Asia’s replacement for Syria will be yet another Middle East regime that fails to meet the election criteria, which require a genuine record of promoting and protecting human rights.”

Kuwait is not without human rights issues of its own. According to the US State Department, Kuwaitis are subjected to “limited freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion” and women are denied equal rights.

More than 25 human rights groups and dissidents have joined the UN Watch campaign against Syria’s bid, which was recently accepted for publication by the UN General Assembly.

Original URL: https://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=219981

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‘Kuwait to replace Syria’ for UN body bid

Luis Pelaez — Tue, 10 May 2011 08:34:27 +0000

Al Jazeera (English)
May 10, 2011

Western diplomats say Kuwait will replace Syria as a candidate for a seat on the United Nations’ top human rights body in the wake of an intense campaign against the Syrian regime for its ongoing crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising.

Kuwait has agreed “privately” to contest the May 20 secret-ballot vote at the UN General Assembly as a candidate for one of the four seats on the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, one western diplomat said on Tuesday.

“Syria has faced several calls from the Asia group to withdraw,” another envoy said.

Diplomats said it was unclear whether Syria would take over Kuwait’s bid for a council slot in 2013. A diplomat told the Reuters news agency that Asian countries would have to approve the changes.

Syria was chosen in January as one of the four candidates, alongside India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, for seats to be filled by Asia under a convention that stipulates UN bodies be filled by regional blocs.

Bashar al-Assad’s government is under growing international pressure over the crackdown, with the European Union imposing an arms embargo and sanctions on 13 senior regime figures – though not Assad himself – it says are responsible for violence against protesters.

The US is also close to calling for an end to Assad’s rule, the Associated Press news agency reported on Tuesday, quoting an anonymous White House official. The first step would be to declare that Assad, Syria’s president, had forfeited the legitimacy to rule, the official said.

On Tuesday, White House spokesman Mark Toner said: “We urge the Syrian government to stop shooting protesters, to allow for peaceful marches and to stop these campaigns of arbitrary arrests and to start a meaningful dialogue.”

‘Writing on the wall’

Human rights groups and some governments have been campaigning to keep Syria off the council.

Their efforts have intensified since Damascus deployed security forces against pro-democracy protesters calling for an end to Assad’s 11-year presidency and the Baath Party’s decades-long rule.

“Kuwait’s candidacy certainly reduces the chances that Syria will get elected,” Peggy Hicks, global advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, told AFP. “Syria should see the writing on the wall and withdraw.”

Geneva-based UN Watch hailed the news but voiced concern over Kuwait being its replacement.

Kuwait is “far better than Syria, but another non-democracy nevertheless”, the group said, according to the Reuters news agency.

According to the National Organisation for Human Rights in Syria, over 750 civilians have been killed and around 9,000 people arrested since the crackdown on protests began.

The Syrian government has barred journalists from entering the country to report on the uprising. Dorothy Parvaz, an Al Jazeera journalist, has not been heard from since she arrived in Damascus on April 29.

Original URL: https://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/2011510171246332265.html

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