92% Drop in Insults, Assaults Against Public Officials in Kuwait

19/09/2026

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 19: As a result of recent legislative amendments that are part of a comprehensive legal reform process, including the enactment of numerous laws and revision of existing legislation, Minister of Justice Counselor Nasser Al-Sumait announced 92 percent decline in cases of insult or assault of public officials while on duty. Al-Sumait revealed that the number of such cases declined from 1,174 in the year preceding the implementation of the amendment to just 93 cases in the second year of its application in 2026.

He stated that Decree-Law No. 93/2024 is in line with the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who emphasized that “respecting security personnel is synonymous with respecting the system of governance. I will not tolerate undermining of their prestige or the respect due to them while they perform their official duties.” He explained that the amendment, which took effect on Sept 15, 2024, tightened penalties for insulting, assaulting or resisting public officials. It also established enhanced protections for judges, public prosecutors, and members of the police, army and National Guard forces. It prohibits the victim, in this case the public official, from withdrawing the complaint, settling with the accused or granting pardon.

He added that the statistics issued by the Ministry of Interior covered incidents involving public officials, including security personnel. The data showed that 1,174 cases were recorded in the year preceding the amendment, from Sept 15, 2023 to Sept 14, 2024. The number fell to 493 cases during the first year of its implementation, from Sept 15, 2024, to Sept 14, 2025 — 58 percent decline. The number of cases continued to decline during the second year of the amendment’s implementation, from Sept 15, 2025 to Sept 14, 2026, falling to just 93 cases.

This is a decrease of 81 percent compared with the first year and 92 percent decline compared with the year preceding the amendment’s implementation. Al-Sumait commended the efforts of the Ministry of Interior and security personnel, emphasizing that the results reflect the synergy among state institutions in upholding respect for public officials while performing their duties, preserving the prestige of the state, and reinforcing the rule of law.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff