Kuwait replaces jail with 37 community service roles across 15 government entities
. . . as alternative punishment for traffic offences
Kuwait has introduced a new system of alternative penalties for traffic offences, allowing courts to impose community service, rehabilitation programmes and other corrective measures instead of imprisonment in eligible cases.
The new framework was introduced under Ministerial Decree No. 895 of 2026, issued by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah.
Published in the Official Gazette Kuwait Alyawm, the amendments revise the executive regulations of the Traffic Law by introducing Article 212 bis, which gives courts the authority to replace prison terms with one or more alternative penalties aimed at rehabilitation and behavioural reform.
Under the decree, judges may impose unpaid community service, attendance at awareness and rehabilitation programmes, vocational, psychological and behavioural training, as well as require offenders to repair or compensate for damage caused by their traffic violations.
The decision identifies 37 community service roles across 15 government entities, with assignments tailored to the nature of the offence and the offender’s circumstances. All community service will be carried out without financial compensation and under the supervision of the General Administration for the Execution of Judgments, in coordination with the General Traffic Department and relevant government authorities.
The Ministry of Interior will assign offenders to traffic awareness campaigns, traffic department duties, civil defence activities and correctional institution support. The Ministry of Health will involve offenders in health awareness initiatives and patient appointment organisation, while the Ministry of Education will assign tasks such as organising school libraries and participating in student awareness campaigns.
Under the Ministry of Social Affairs, offenders may assist in welfare programmes, aid distribution and cooperative society activities.
Other assignments include mosque cleaning and Quran organisation under the Ministry of Awqaf, maintenance and documentation work under the Ministries of Electricity and Public Works, consumer awareness campaigns through the Ministry of Commerce, and environmental cleaning and tree-planting initiatives coordinated by the Environment Public Authority.
Additional community service opportunities include municipal services such as cemetery organisation and public cleaning, maintenance of public parks, vocational training programmes, awareness campaigns for expatriate workers, and support for charitable organisations and public benefit associations.
The new regulations also require offenders, where appropriate, to attend educational lectures, psychological counselling, behavioural rehabilitation and road safety training programmes organised by government agencies, private institutions and public benefit organisations to encourage responsible driving behaviour and improve compliance with traffic laws.
Where a traffic offence results in damage to public or private property, offenders may be ordered to restore the damaged property to its original condition, repair the damage, or provide financial compensation if restoration is not possible.
Authorities implementing the alternative penalties must submit regular compliance reports to the relevant department. Offenders who fail to complete or comply with the alternative sentence will be referred back to the competent court to serve the original prison term, ensuring strict enforcement of the new regulations.
