throughout history, punishments for violators, dissenters, and lawbreakers have taken many forms. with the advancement of civilization and legal systems, these penalties have largely been limited to three main types: fines, imprisonment, and the death penalty. the latter is still actively enforced by countries such as china, iran, saudi arabia, iraq, egypt, many u.s. states, yemen, and kuwait.
some countries, like india, japan, malaysia, cuba, and guyana, have retained the death penalty in law but rarely implement it. globally, there is a growing movement toward either abolishing the death penalty or restricting its use to only the most heinous crimes or acts of high treason.
however, in kuwait, there appears to be a unique and unofficial “fourth” form of punishment, one not seen anywhere else in the world, which is the suspension of the civil id card. whether done intentionally, by mistake, or due to any other reasons, the suspension of a civil id effectively erases the individual from society. the affected person becomes physically, legally, and commercially invisible – cut off from their business dealings, financial access, and, in some cases, even their family life.
in kuwait, perhaps unlike any other country in the world, there exists a unique fourth form of punishment: the suspension of the civil id card. whether done intentionally, accidentally, or due to any other reasons, this suspension renders the individual physically, legally, and commercially invisible. those affected find themselves cut off from their businesses, finances, and in some cases, even their families.
the legal definition and interpretation of life imprisonment varies from one country to another. in the united states, “life imprisonment” typically means the remainder of the prisoner’s natural life. in some states it equates to 25 years. this 25-year model is also followed in countries like kuwait, egypt, and canada. in italy, life imprisonment is defined as 26 years, while in turkey it is 24 years. in the uk, it ranges between 15 and 25 years, in germany it is 15 years, and in japan, it is the shortest, as it can be as short as ten years. some countries leave the duration entirely to the discretion of the judge, and do not set a fixed term.
although kuwaiti law defines life imprisonment as 25 years, a recent remark by a preacher who had previously supported hardline approaches was both striking and troubling. speaking to a group of recently pardoned prisoners, he said some had spent 26, 27, even 28 years behind bars. this prompted me to investigate further, and to my surprise, i learned that some individuals have spent over 30 years in prison, simply because their case files were lost.
one of the notable achievements of this era has been the implementation of radical reforms, which even extended to the prison system. pardon programs began to expand, and mercy was shown to many prisoners who had already served the majority of their sentences.
in december 2005, the court of first instance issued its verdict in the case of the “peninsula lions cell,” involving 37 defendants, including nine fugitives. the court sentenced six individuals to death, one to life imprisonment, and the remaining defendants to varying prison terms.
in june 2007, the court of cassation issued its final ruling in the case, commuting the death sentences of four defendants to life imprisonment and upholding the remaining sentences.
in january 2025, a decision was made to revoke the citizenship of five individuals convicted in connection with the cell. this was part of a measure targeting 38 individuals found guilty in terrorism-related cases, in accordance with a legal provision that allows for the revocation of citizenship from those proven to have engaged in actions contrary to national loyalty.
personally, i believe, out of compassion, that it is important to expand pardon initiatives and release as many prisoners as possible, especially those who have already served nearly 20 years in prison, provided they have shown remorse for their crimes and proven their righteousness. this is especially relevant considering that their actions can be monitored and managed within specific boundaries. the recent decision to release the seven members of the peninsula lions cell may have stemmed from this very perspective.
each prisoner imposes a huge cost on the public budget. releasing those who no longer pose a threat, and requiring them to wear a security bracelet for a specific period, would not only save the government substantial financial resources but also reduce effort, and allow these individuals and their families to return to normal life.
i would like to express my gratitude to the minister of interior for his efforts in this regard.