KUWAIT CITY, July 6: Kuwait’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al- Sabah, issued Ministerial Decree No. 895/2026 amending certain provisions of Ministerial Decree No. 81/1976 concerning the Executive Regulations of the Traffic Law, reports Al-Seyassah daily. The decree outlines the mechanisms for implementing alternative penalties for traffic violations, effective from the date of its publication in the official gazette - Kuwait Al-Youm. Published in Monday’s edition of the official gazette, the decree amends Article 212-bis of the Executive Regulations, establishing a regulatory framework for alternative penalties that the court may impose instead of imprisonment. These alternatives include community service, participation in awareness, rehabilitation, and training programs and lectures, as well as compensation for damages resulting from the crime.
The General Directorate for the Execution of Judicial Rulings oversees the implementation of these penalties. The decree specifies the entities responsible for carrying out community service based on the nature of the crime and the circumstances of the convicted individual. The Ministry of Interior assigns convicts to participate in traffic awareness campaigns, work in the General Traffic Department, and take part in activities at correctional and rehabilitation institutions as well as civil defense services. The Ministry of Health involves the convicts in organizing appointments and health awareness campaigns. Under the Ministry of Education, alternative penalties include organizing school libraries, taking part in student awareness campaigns, and performing cleaning duties. The Ministry of Social Affairs assigns individuals to social welfare activities, distribution of aid, and work in social development centers and cooperative societies.
Alternative punishments offered by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs include arranging copies of the Quran, cleaning mosques, and assisting with religious activities. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy assigns tasks related to documenting electricity meter data. The Ministry of Public Works assigns participants to field maintenance work, removal of debris from roads, painting sidewalks, and organizing directional signage. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry assigns tasks related to consumer awareness activities, distribution of brochures, and participation in awareness exhibitions. The Environment Public Authority (EPA) also assigns alternative penalties involving coastal cleanups, tree planting, waste removal, and participation in environmental awareness campaigns. Alternative punishments offered by Kuwait Municipality include organizing cemeteries, managing funeral affairs, and performing cleaning duties.
The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) offers vocational training in basic skills and the organization of craft workshops. The Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) assigns tasks such as raising awareness among expatriate workers, organizing training courses, and providing translation services. The Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) assigns penalties, including cleaning public parks and planting trees.
Additional alternative penalties include participation in charitable work, humanitarian aid, awareness campaigns, basic vocational training, and administrative support for public benefit associations. Other assigned tasks also include working at fuel stations operated by the Ministry of Oil. The decision clarified that rehabilitation programs include educational lectures, training workshops, and psychological and behavioral programs aimed at modifying irresponsible driving behavior. The General Department for the Execution of Judicial Rulings, in coordination with the General Traffic Department, is responsible for organizing alternative penalties in cooperation with government and private sector entities and public benefit associations. The decision also stipulates the need to coordinate with the affected party, whether to restore the property to its original condition, repair it, or provide financial compensation.
The value of the damage is determined in coordination between the General Traffic Department and the government entity that owns the damaged property. The decision emphasized that entities implementing alternative penalties are required to submit reports to the General Department for the Execution of Judicial Rulings on the extent of the convict’s compliance. If the convict refuses to comply with the sentence or violates its conditions, the case is referred to the competent court to complete the original prison term. Alternative penalties offered by the Ministry of Social Affairs include assigning convicts to social welfare activities, aid distribution, and work in social development centers and cooperative societies.
