16.5 Million Dinars... Alleviating the Burden of 3,807 Guarantors

- An unprecedented and exceptional campaign in the upcoming Ramadan, under broader facilitations and conditions

- Despite the circumstances... the campaign witnessed exceptional generosity that embodied the spirit of solidarity and compassion among Kuwaitis

- 56 percent for debts, 30 percent for rent, and 14 percent for personal status expenses

- Beneficiaries comprised 81 percent males and 19 percent females

- Total debts exceeded the campaign’s proceeds; the Ministry’s approach prioritized older cases first, with preference given to females

- Some creditors forgave the debt entirely, while others forgave a significant portion

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

This statement came during a press conference held by Minister Al-Sumait on Sunday to announce the final results of the campaign after the target amount was fully paid, in the presence of Justice Ministry Undersecretary Awatef Al-Sand and Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Technical and Administrative Affairs Nouf Al-Qabandi. He revealed preparations for launching a new Debtors’ Campaign in the upcoming Ramadan, in cooperation with relevant authorities, which will be broader than previous editions.

The Minister stated that total donations amounted to 16,539,659 Kuwaiti dinars (approximately 53 million US dollars), contributed 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.

He explained that the campaign, supported by 62 government and civil society entities, helped lift 14,928 enforcement measures, including travel bans, arrest warrants, and seizures of bank accounts and vehicles, alongside the release from civil imprisonment, which directly impacted 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. The beneficiaries comprised 81 percent males and 19 percent females.

He expressed gratitude and appreciation to all donors, emphasizing that their contributions were the foundation of the campaign’s success, with every donation helping to alleviate hardship and relieve families, presenting an honorable image of Kuwaiti generosity.

Minister Al-Sumait commended the role of media, press, KUNA news agency, Kuwait TV, influencers, and all participating entities in promoting the campaign and mobilizing support. He also expressed 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, and the six work teams comprising 52 personnel, as well as 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.

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

In response to questions regarding the categories not covered by the donation campaign, the Minister of Justice stated, “There is no doubt that the total debt is much larger than the proceeds of the donation campaign. However, the Ministry of Justice’s approach was to start with the oldest cases and proceed to the newest, with priority always given to women, in accordance with the announced conditions. Those with legal procedures are prioritized over those without, in addition to ensuring that the debtor has not benefited from previous donation campaigns. The maximum debt per case is 10,000 Kuwaiti dinars, and the individual must be genuinely insolvent.”

He added, “We were extremely careful to ensure that no single case received a financial disbursement that did not meet the conditions, especially since a large portion of the contributions consisted of zakat amounts, which have specific Sharia-compliant distribution channels. Therefore, all cases were treated as zakat funds, with the fundamental criteria being insolvency and indebtedness.”

He explained that some creditors, upon learning that the Ministry of Justice was preparing to pay their due amounts from the donation campaign, and after making inquiries, chose to fully forgive the debtor’s debt without receiving any payment. He also noted that some creditors agreed to forgive a large portion of the debt in exchange for the settlement of the remaining balance and the closure of the case file.

Regarding plans to organize another donation campaign for debtors, Advisor Al-Samit announced that the Ministry of Justice received approval last week from the Prime Minister to launch an exceptional and unprecedented campaign during the upcoming month of Ramadan.

He clarified 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 emphasized that the fundamental principle is indebtedness, meaning that the person must be genuinely unable to repay these amounts.

The Minister of Justice, Nasser Al-Samit, thanked individual donors, companies, and government entities, announcing that the largest donor during the Debtors Campaign was Kuwait Finance House, with an amount of 2 million dinars.

The Minister of Justice revealed that the number of debtors imprisoned on account of financial cases reached 26 cases. Their files were reviewed, and two of them had their debts settled and were released, while the rest have debts exceeding 10,000 dinars each, with some reaching millions. The committee’s conditions do not allow for the settlement of their debts.

Al-Samit pointed out that a large portion of debtors are guarantors, clarifying that all legal procedures applied to debtors are also taken against guarantors, as a guarantor is liable with their personal assets. He stressed that everyone must be aware of the legal consequences and procedures associated with this role, including arrest warrants, summons, and travel bans. He noted that it is the Ministry’s responsibility to raise awareness about these matters.

The minister mentioned a proposal to establish a permanent committee for debtors, so that the matter would not be limited to annual campaigns. The committee would be responsible for receiving donations and settling debts according to specific regulations and conditions. He noted that the Enforcement Administration receives donors daily and has a mechanism for settlement.

In this context, he added that the civil enforcement system is moving toward full digital transformation.

The Minister of Justice praised the efforts of the committee tasked with managing the campaign, which succeeded in its mission by not requiring any documents from debtors. Instead, communication and coordination with relevant authorities were used to verify compliance with the conditions. He also highlighted the committee’s success in persuading some creditors to forgive their debts or a portion thereof.

The Minister of Justice, Advisor Nasser Al-Samit, announced a noticeable decline in pending cases before all courts in 2026, by 20 percent (approximately 170,000 cases), compared to the same period in 2024. The total number of cases from January 1 to September 30, 2024, reached approximately 835,000 cases, while during the same period in 2026, it amounted to about 665,000 cases.

Speaking about the impact and results of laws and legislation approved as part of the national plan for updating the legislative system, Minister Al-Sumeit clarified that cases before the Court of Cassation decreased by 39 percent (approximately 6,000 cases) in 2026 compared to the same period in 2024. The total number of cases reached approximately 16,000 during the period from January 1 to September 30, 2024, while it stood at around 10,000 cases during the same period in 2026.

Partial appeal cases also recorded a notable decline in 2026, dropping by 41 percent (approximately 2,400 cases) compared to the same period in 2024. The number of cases fell from approximately 5,700 during the period from January 1 to September 30, 2024, to around 3,300 cases during the corresponding period in 2026.

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

He noted that execution orders recorded a significant decrease of approximately 60 percent (around 40,000 orders), falling from approximately 67,000 orders during the period from January 1 to September 30, 2024, to around 27,000 orders during the same period in 2026.

Advisor Al-Sumeit pointed out that the amendment to the Civil Code, recently published in the Official Gazette (Kuwait Today), came under the direct directive of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

He explained that although the amendment was limited to two paragraphs of a single article (Article 830), its impact on individuals is significant. It addresses the potential loss of a sole residence by one of the partners, such as a father, mother, or child, resulting from the partition or auction sale of a residential property. He clarified that this protection applies to any partner who meets the legal conditions.

He further explained that the amendment grants the court the authority to postpone the partition of a residential property for a period it determines, upon request by one of the partners, provided it is established that it is their sole residence and their funds are insufficient to purchase a suitable alternative home, taking into account the family and social circumstances of each case.

He stated that this protection is conditional on the continued existence of the reasons for it. Any partner has the right to request the termination of the postponement once those reasons cease to exist, with the court retaining the authority to determine fair compensation for the benefit derived, if the circumstances of the case so require, in order to safeguard the rights of the other partners.

He mentioned that the amendment allowed the remaining partners, during the consideration of the partition lawsuit, to request acquiring the share of the partner who filed for partition, in exchange for its value as assessed by an expert appointed by the court in accordance with legal regulations. This enables the requesting partner to exit the co-ownership and receive the value of their share, while keeping the property in the ownership of the remaining partners. He emphasized that the amendment did not prevent the distribution of inheritance in a manner contrary to Islamic law, noting that there is an official fatwa from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs confirming the amendment’s compliance with Islamic Sharia.

On another note, Al-Sumeit clarified that the reform of the civil execution system must incorporate compassion. He added, “Collecting rights is important and takes precedence, but there must be a balance between taking measures against debtors and collecting rights.”

He explained that this matter requires time for study and review in collaboration with the General Administration of Execution and execution judges, as the goal is to develop a comprehensive law for civil execution, rather than merely introducing scattered provisions into the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law.

The Minister of Justice confirmed that three new laws will be announced soon: the Family Law, the Penal Code, and the Personal Status Law, following the completion of their study and approval by the relevant authorities.

He clarified that the Personal Status Law will be presented to the Ministerial Committee this week, with its finalization expected before the end of the current year. The law addresses significant problems that everyone is currently experiencing.

He added that all these laws are sensitive and touch upon social security. The amendments they contain include a comprehensive restructuring of the system and philosophy of crime and how it is addressed in Kuwait, with the aim of tackling the root causes of problems, reducing conflicts, and lowering crime rates.

He noted that the committee responsible for drafting the new Penal Code, chaired by Advisor Saud Al-Sanea and comprising judges, heads of public prosecution, and public prosecutors, has completed the draft. Only responses from two entities remain pending. After consolidating these responses, the final draft will be prepared for submission to the Office of Fatwa and Legislation. He emphasized that this law will have a significant impact on reducing crime rates to levels unprecedented in Kuwait’s history.