Kuwait Extradites 10 Convicted Kuwaitis, Awaits Return of More Fugitives

08/09/2025

Kuwait Extradites 10 Convicted Kuwaitis, Awaits Return of More Fugitives

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 8: Recent statistics issued by the Ministry of Justice revealed that the number of convicted Kuwaiti defendants extradited from the countries where they resided between 2024 and August 2025 reached 10.

According to figures obtained by the daily, the number of convicted Kuwaiti defendants whose extradition files were sent to the countries in which they reside totaled 23.

The statistics also showed that 13 convicted foreign defendants were extradited to Kuwait, while extradition files were sent for 68 other convicted foreign defendants residing abroad.

A government source told the daily that the individuals extradited to Kuwait had been convicted by final court rulings in serious criminal cases. These ranged from premeditated murder and embezzlement of public funds to State security cases like insulting HH the Amir, undermining his authority, interfering with his powers, insulting Allah, and threatening public security, among others.

The source explained that the mechanism for extraditing fugitives is based on four main steps:

Determining the location of the accused: Once it is confirmed that the accused is in a specific country, its authorities are contacted.
Submitting the extradition request: A complete file is sent through diplomatic channels.
Judicial examination: The authorities of the host country review the request and submit it to the competent court.
The role of the Public Prosecution: Coordinating with prosecution offices abroad and providing the required documents and information until a ruling is issued authorizing extradition to Kuwait.

The source emphasized that the legal framework for extraditing fugitives is based on the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. He stressed that none of the accused will escape justice, and all will be extradited to face trial in Kuwait without leniency.

He added that the Ministry of Interior, along with other relevant authorities, is making every effort to ensure the extradition of all wanted individuals, particularly those sentenced to death, in strict compliance with legal procedures.