Kuwait Retains Its Classification in Combating Human Trafficking
The Kuwaiti Public Prosecution affirmed that Kuwait retains its Tier 2 ranking in the U.S. State Department's report, citing an increase in lawsuits and the establishment of a specialized unit.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
The Public Prosecution announced that Kuwait retained its Tier 2 ranking for the second consecutive year, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, which underscores the state’s increased efforts compared to previous periods and places criminal prosecution at the forefront. In a statement regarding the U.S. State Department’s report, issued on October 8, the Public Prosecution stated that it initiated criminal proceedings against 64 suspects accused of human trafficking offenses, charging them under the provisions of Law No. 91 of 2013 concerning the fight against human trafficking and migrant smuggling. It also pursued related crimes connected to the primary offense, including money laundering and forgery of official and bank documents.
The Prosecution added that the number of trafficking cases under investigation rose from three to eleven during the reporting period, and convictions were handed down against suspects guilty of human trafficking. It noted that the Attorney General established a specialized unit during the reporting period to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling, entrusting it with monitoring the implementation of the national referral mechanism, standardizing procedures for identifying and protecting victims, developing investigative methods, building a comprehensive database for these crimes, and providing technical guidance to Public Prosecution members and law enforcement agencies.
It further reported that Public Prosecution members received training on the proper legal characterization of trafficking cases, and a reporting service for these crimes was made available on the Prosecution’s website. The Public Prosecution commended the efforts of the Permanent National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling and its member entities, reaffirming its continued role in prosecuting perpetrators of these crimes, applying legal provisions against them, and protecting their victims.
