Justice Minister: PM Approved Unprecedented Major Campaign for Debtors Next Ramadan

Justice Minister and Advisor Nasser Al-Sumeit announced the conclusion of the debtors’ campaign, which was launched on the 27th of last Ramadan with the approval of Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah. He noted that despite the circumstances the country has experienced, the campaign witnessed exceptional generosity that embodied the spirit of solidarity and compassion among Kuwaitis.

This statement was made during a press conference held by Minister Al-Sumeit to announce the final results of the campaign after the target amount was fully paid, in the presence of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice Awatef Al-Sand and Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Technical and Administrative Affairs Nouf Al-Qabandi.

He stated that total donations amounted to 16,539,659 Kuwaiti dinars, provided by 138,328 donors, benefiting 3,807 individuals through the full or partial settlement of court-ordered amounts. He clarified that the number of rulings against beneficiaries reached 5,645.

The minister explained that the campaign contributed to lifting 14,928 enforcement measures, including travel bans, arrest warrants, and the seizure of bank accounts and vehicles, as well as the release from civil imprisonment, which directly improved the lives of beneficiaries and their families.

He added that the rulings covered by the campaign were distributed as follows: 56 percent for debts and personal claims, 30 percent for rent, and 14 percent for personal status expenses. Beneficiaries comprised 81 percent males and 19 percent females.

Minister Al-Sumeit expressed gratitude and appreciation to all donors, emphasizing that their contributions were the foundation of the campaign’s success. He noted that every donation helped alleviate hardship, eased the burden on families, and presented an honorable image of Kuwaiti generosity.

He also commended the role of media and press outlets, as well as all participating entities, in promoting the campaign and mobilizing support. He extended his appreciation to Undersecretary Awatef Al-Sand, Acting Assistant Undersecretary Nouf Al-Qabandi, First Advisor Abdullah Al-Qasimi, Head of the General Administration for Execution, execution judges, six work teams comprising 52 personnel, and all employees who contributed to the campaign’s success, praising their efforts in reviewing and verifying files, completing settlement procedures, and lifting enforcement restrictions on beneficiaries.

During the conference, he also addressed the impact and outcomes of laws and legislation approved as part of the national plan for updating the legislative system.

The Justice Minister stressed that the campaign’s success was the result of collaboration among donors, participating entities, and ministry staff, noting that the impact of this generosity extends beyond debt settlement to supporting family stability and reducing burdens.

Minister Al-Sumeit announced a significant decline in pending cases before courts across all judicial levels in 2026, by 20 percent, amounting to approximately 170,000 cases compared to the same period in 2024. Total cases from January 1 to September 30, 2024, reached approximately 835,000, while during the same period in 2026, they totaled around 665,000.

He added that cases before the Court of Cassation decreased by 39 percent in 2026, amounting to approximately 6,000 cases compared to the same period in 2024. Total cases from January 1 to September 30, 2024, reached around 16,000, while during the same period in 2026, they totaled approximately 10,000.

Furthermore, partial appeal cases recorded a notable decline in 2026 by 41 percent, amounting to approximately 2,300 cases compared to the same period in 2024. The number of cases dropped from around 5,700 during January 1 to September 30, 2024, to approximately 3,300 during the same period in 2026.

He added that criminal cases across all courts recorded a decline of 21 percent in 2026, amounting to approximately 117,000 cases, compared to the same period in 2024. The number of cases fell from about 566,000 during the period from January 1 to September 30, 2024, to around 449,000 during the same period in 2026.

He noted that execution orders also saw a significant drop of about 60 percent, totaling approximately 40,000 orders. The number of execution orders decreased from roughly 67,000 during the period from January 1 to September 30, 2024, to about 27,000 during the same period in 2026.

In response to questions about the categories not covered by the donation campaign, the Minister of Justice stated that there is no doubt that total debts are much larger than the proceeds of the donation campaign. However, the Ministry of Justice’s approach was to prioritize older cases over newer ones, with a constant priority given to women, in accordance with the announced conditions. Those with legal procedures were prioritized over those without, and individuals who had not benefited from previous donation campaigns were considered. The maximum debt per case was set at 10,000 Kuwaiti dinars, and the debtor must be genuinely insolvent.

He emphasized that great care was taken to ensure that no single case received financial disbursement if it did not meet the specified conditions, especially since a large portion of the contributions consisted of zakat, which has specific religious allocations. Therefore, all cases were treated as zakat amounts, with the fundamental criteria being insolvency and indebtedness.

He pointed out that some creditors, upon learning that the Ministry of Justice was preparing to pay them the amounts due from the donation campaign, and after making inquiries, completely waived the debtors’ liabilities without receiving any payment. He also noted that some creditors agreed to waive a large portion of the debt in exchange for the settlement of the remaining balance and the closure of the case file.

On another note, Al-Sameet stated that a significant portion of debtors are guarantors. He clarified that all legal measures taken against debtors are also applied to guarantors, as a guarantor is liable with his personal assets. He stressed that everyone must be aware of the legal consequences and procedures associated with this role, including arrest warrants, detention, and travel bans, and that it is the Ministry’s responsibility to raise awareness about these matters.

Regarding plans to organize another donation campaign for debtors, Al-Sameet announced that last week the Ministry of Justice received approval from His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to launch an exceptional and unprecedented campaign during the upcoming month of Ramadan.

He explained that the campaign would be joint, and a large number of topics and ideas would be studied under broader facilitations and conditions to cover the largest possible segment. At the same time, he stressed that the fundamental criterion remains indebtedness, meaning that the individual must be genuinely unable to repay the amounts due.