92% drop in cases of assault on public officials

Justice Minister and Legal Advisor Nasser Yousef Al-Samait announced a 92% decline in cases of insulting or assaulting public officials while they are performing their duties, with the number dropping from 1,174 cases in the year preceding the implementation of the legislative amendment to just 93 cases in the second year of its application. Al-Samait stated that Law-Decree No. 93 of 2024 was issued in line with the high directives of His Highness the Amir of the State, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who emphasized that “respecting security personnel is part of respecting the system of governance, and I will absolutely not allow any infringement on their dignity and respect while they are carrying out their official duties.” He clarified that the amendment, which entered into force on September 15, 2024, tightened penalties for insulting, assaulting, or resisting public officials by force or violence, and established stronger protections for judges, members of the Public Prosecution, and personnel of the Police Force, the Army, and the National Guard. It also prevented the aggrieved party from withdrawing their complaint, reaching a settlement with the accused, or granting them pardon. He noted that statistics prepared by the Ministry of the Interior encompass cases involving all public officials, including security personnel; they recorded 1,174 cases during the year prior to the amendment’s implementation, from September 15, 2023, to September 14, 2024, then decreased to 493 cases during the first year of its application, from September 15, 2024, to September 14, 2025, representing a 58% decline. He added that the number of cases continued to drop during the second year of the amendment’s implementation, from September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026, reaching just 93 cases—a decrease of 81% compared to the first year and 92% compared to the year preceding the amendment. Al-Samait commended the efforts of the Ministry of the Interior and security personnel, affirming that the achieved results reflect the synergy among state institutions in reinforcing respect for public officials while performing their duties, safeguarding the state’s authority, and strengthening the rule of law.