Kuwait Justice Minister: Terrorism and State Security Cases Rose Over 500% in First Quarter of 2026

By Nasser Al-Shalbi, Kuwait City, 30 Mar (KUNA) – Kuwait’s Minister of Justice, Advisor Nasser Al-Sameet, said on Monday that terrorism and state security cases recorded an increase exceeding 500 percent during the first three months of 2026 compared with previous years.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Advisor Al-Sameet explained that terrorism and state security cases totaled 209 in the first quarter, reflecting the sensitivity of this type of crime and the importance of institutional readiness, heightened vigilance in monitoring it, and effective handling.

He stressed that the recently issued decree-law establishing specialized criminal courts to adjudicate external and internal state security crimes and terrorist acts represents a pivotal step in developing the judicial response to such crimes, ensuring a balance between expediting their resolution and guaranteeing due process safeguards.

He noted that the Attorney General’s decision to establish a specialized prosecution office for terrorism and state security crimes, alongside the State Security Apparatus within the Ministry of Interior, enhances the coherence of the national specialized system and provides a more specialized and integrated pathway for handling and adjudicating these cases, thereby strengthening the state’s capacity to confront them efficiently without compromising the rights and guarantees enshrined in the Constitution and the law.

Earlier on Monday, Attorney General Advisor Saad Al-Suba’an issued a decision to establish the State Security and Terrorism Crimes Prosecution Office, as part of efforts to develop the criminal justice system and enhance the efficiency of confronting crimes that threaten national security. (End) N.S. / M.S.A.