DNA evidence uncovers forged Kuwaiti lineage linked to 66 individuals

While the Supreme Committee for Citizenship Investigation continues to assess a wide range of cases — primarily involving forgery, fraud, and other serious violations — informed sources said the 66 individuals whose citizenships were revoked last Thursday were all linked to a single forgery case.

According to the sources, the case dates back to the 1960s and involves a deceased man who was falsely registered as a Kuwaiti citizen under Article 1.

He and two of his sons were employed in the oil sector, while his other sons held positions in the Ministries of Interior, Education, and Electricity.

The Nationality Investigations Department launched a probe after receiving information about forgery in the man’s citizenship file and discovered his sons had an uncle residing in Kuwait who held Syrian citizenship and was later arrested. DNA tests confirmed he was the brother of the deceased and this proved the family’s forged Kuwaiti lineage.

The uncle had previously been registered as a “bedoun” (stateless person) and worked at the Ministry of Defense. Under pressure from the government in 2000 to disclose original nationalities or resign from public service, he admitted to being Syrian and changed his status.