Retired Syrian soldier jailed 7 yrs in Kuwaiti nationality forgery

18/05/2025

Retired Syrian soldier jailed 7 yrs in Kuwaiti nationality forgery

KUWAIT CITY, May 18: The Criminal Court sentenced a retired Syrian soldier to seven years in prison, fined him KD961,000 and dismissed him from his job for unlawfully getting his salary, pension and rent allowance; and attempting to obtain a residential plot by forging Kuwaiti citizenship, claiming he is related to a deceased citizen. The Public Prosecution had earlier charged the defendant with unlawfully receiving cash amounting to KD22,430 from the Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS); when he approached PIFSS employees and requested for pension based on forged documents: his civil identification and Kuwaiti nationality certificate, which falsely indicated that he is a Kuwaiti citizen. He also forced the institution to pay him a periodic pension, thereby enabling him to unlawfully obtain the aforementioned cash.

Sources disclosed this crime was inextricably linked to another felony -- forgery of an official document related to the PIFSS database, as revealed in the investigations. Moreover, the Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Youm) on Sunday published Decree No. 88/2025 revoking the Kuwaiti citizenship of 154 individuals and those who acquired the citizenship through them. This decree covers doctors, preachers, former athletes and media professionals who obtained citizenship based on the ‘noble deeds’ clause. Kuwait Al-Youm also published Cabinet Resolution No. 553, which revoked the Kuwaiti citizenship of three individuals and those who acquired the citizenship through them; under Article 21bis(A) of Nationality Law No. 15/1959 and its amendments, specifically the stipulations on forgery.

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