Kuwait honors martyrs with debt waivers, financial support, and pilgrimage benefits

Kuwait has issued Decree No. 16 of 2026 to formally honor martyrs who lost their lives during military operations, official duty, natural disasters, and exceptional public incidents.

Published today in the Official Gazette, the decree outlines a comprehensive framework to provide material, moral, and social recognition to martyrs and their families.

The decree stipulates the cancellation of debts owed to the state by Kuwaiti martyrs and provides lumpsum financial compensation, social care, and Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages for their families, reports Al-Jarida daily.

It also establishes the Martyrs’ Commemoration Office under the Ministry of Defense, funded through the ministry’s budget, to oversee all matters relating to the recognition of martyrs.

A Board of Trustees will supervise the office, comprising representatives from the ministries of Defense, Interior, Social Affairs, the National Guard, Kuwait Fire Force, and the Public Authority for Minors’ Affairs.

The committees will be formed to verify and categorize martyrs, including military personnel, civilian officials, and victims of disasters and exceptional incidents, ensuring proper recognition based on established procedures.

Martyrs are defined as individuals who died defending the homeland or as a result of natural or public disasters, whether Kuwaiti or non-Kuwaiti, military or civilian.

Specific categories include martyrs of military operations, martyrs of duty, and martyrs of disasters and exceptional public incidents.

Special provisions also cover individuals who died among prisoners or missing persons during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

The decree details the rights and recognition for martyrs and their families, including medals and decorations for both military and civilian martyrs, incorporation of military heroes’ deeds into school curricula, and compensation for non-Kuwaiti martyrs according to established legal provisions.

First-degree relatives are recognized as eligible beneficiaries for all forms of honor and support.

Decree No. 16 of 2026 repeals earlier legislation, including Decree No. 38 of 1991, and emphasizes the state’s commitment to honoring martyrs morally, socially, and financially.

The Prime Minister and ministers are tasked with implementing the decree, which is effective from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.