Kuwait extradites ten convicts, pursues dozens more abroad
Extradition requests have been submitted for 23 other Kuwaiti defendants currently abroad, and thirteen convicted foreign nationals have been extradited to their home countries.
• The number of convicted foreign defendants, whose extradition files were sent from the countries in which they currently reside, amounted to 68 individuals.
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Justice, a total of ten convicted Kuwaiti defendants have been extradited from abroad between 2024 and August this year, Al Qabas newspaper reported.
The data further indicates that extradition requests have been submitted for 23 other Kuwaiti defendants currently abroad. It also shows that thirteen convicted foreign nationals have been extradited to their home countries.
Statistics further revealed that the number of convicted foreign defendants, whose extradition files were sent from the countries in which they currently reside, amounted to 68 individuals.
A government source said that those extradited to Kuwait were all convicted by final court rulings in serious criminal cases. These cases ranged from premeditated murder and embezzlement of public funds to state security offenses, such as insulting the Amir, attacking the emirate, interfering in his constitutional powers, insulting God, and acts that endangered public security, among other charges.
The source outlined that the extradition process for fugitives abroad follows four main steps:
Locating the accused: If it is confirmed that a wanted person resides in a certain country, the competent authorities are contacted immediately.
Submitting the extradition request: A full file is prepared and transmitted through diplomatic channels.
Judicial review: Authorities in the host country study the file and refer it to the competent court for consideration.
Role of the Public Prosecution: Kuwait’s Public Prosecution coordinates with its counterpart abroad, providing all necessary documents and information until a court ruling permits extradition.
The source confirmed that extradition requests are based on international conventions, particularly the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
It stressed that none of the accused will evade justice and all will be extradited to face trial. The Ministry of Interior, in coordination with other agencies, continues to exert every effort to bring fugitives back to Kuwait under established legal frameworks.
