Kuwait: Protecting Human Rights and Preserving Human Dignity
Press coverage 4 newspapers covered this event: Al-Rai · Al-Qabas · Al-Nahar · Sarmad →
Kuwait reaffirms that protecting human rights is a shared international responsibility and condemns Iranian attacks on its territory.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Kuwait affirmed that the protection of human rights and the preservation of human dignity are shared international responsibilities that require respect for state sovereignty, international law, the protection of civilians, and accountability for violations, free from selectivity, politicization, and double standards. This was stated in a speech delivered by Kuwait’s representative, Second Secretary Wafaa Al-Mulla, before the United Nations General Assembly during the discussion of the item related to the Human Rights Council report.
Al-Mulla said that promoting and protecting human rights is not merely a principle enshrined in international charters and conventions, but an obligation incumbent upon all states without exception, forming the foundation for achieving security, stability, and peace. She praised the pivotal role played by the Human Rights Council, emphasizing the importance of maintaining its credibility and ensuring it fulfills its mandate free from selectivity, politicization, and double standards.
Kuwait expressed its appreciation to the member states of the United Nations for the confidence shown in electing it as a member of the Human Rights Council for the period (2027–2029), regarding this confidence as an international responsibility to continue working on enhancing and protecting human rights in cooperation with Council members and all member states.
Kuwait reaffirmed its firm belief in international multilateralism and that the UN Charter must remain the primary reference for all states without exception, noting that the strength of the international system rests on adherence to international law, respect for state sovereignty, and the rights of peoples. She pointed out that the United Nations was not established to be a witness to violations, but to serve as a collective framework to prevent and address them, and that diplomacy, dialogue, and peaceful means of dispute resolution represent a consistent approach in Kuwait’s foreign policy.
Al-Mulla stated that talk of human rights loses its credibility when innocent civilians are attacked, civilian facilities are targeted, and claims of self-defense are used as a pretext to violate state sovereignty and threaten the security of peoples. In this context, Kuwait renewed its strongest condemnation of Iranian attacks targeting its territory since February 28, 2026, considering them a blatant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a serious breach of the principles of the UN Charter and rules of international law.
She explained that the attacks hit residential areas and civilian facilities and vital infrastructure, including hospitals, energy facilities, ports, the airport, oil installations, and water facilities, endangering the lives and safety of civilians and threatening their fundamental rights, foremost among which is the right to life, security, and safety. She added that the gravity of these attacks is compounded by their occurrence during the holy month of Ramadan, when citizens and residents were conducting their daily lives and religious observances in peace and security.
Kuwait firmly rejected Iran’s attempts to justify these attacks by invoking Article 51 of the UN Charter, stressing that the right to self-defense does not grant any state open-ended authorization to violate the sovereignty of other states or target civilians and civilian facilities.
