UPDATE- Kuwait: End Police Abuses Against Transgender Women

[Shana A]

Kuwait: End Police Abuses Against Transgender Women
Law Against 'Imitating the Opposite Sex' Leads to Torture, Arbitrary Arrests
January 15, 2012

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/15/kuwait-end-police-abuses-against-transgender-women

(Kuwait City) – Kuwaiti police have tortured and sexually abused transgender women using a discriminatory law, passed in 2007, which arbitrarily criminalizes "imitating the opposite sex," Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The government of Kuwait should repeal the law, article 198 as amended in 2007, and hold police officers accountable for misconduct.

The 63-page report, "'They Hunt us Down for Fun': Discrimination and Police Violence Against Transgender Women in Kuwait," documents the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and persecution that transgender women – individuals who are born male, but identify as female – have faced at the hands of police. The report also documents the discrimination that transgender women have faced on a daily basis – including by members of the public – as a result of the law, an amendment to penal code article 198. Based on interviews with 40 transgender women, as well as with ministry of interior officials, lawyers, doctors, and members of Kuwaiti civil society, the report found that the arbitrary, ill-defined provisions of the law has allowed for numerous abuses to take place.

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Watchdog urges Kuwait to stop transgender abuse
Posted on 15 January 2012 - 04:07pm

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/266588

The report - based on interviews with 40 transgender women, and ministry of interior officials, lawyers, doctors and civil society figures - said police have a free rein to determine whether a person's appearance amounts to "imitating the opposite sex" since no there were no specific criteria for the offense.

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HRW: Kuwait police abused transgender women
January 15, 2012

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=352663

Human Rights Watch on Sunday accused Kuwaiti police of torturing and sexually abusing transgender women and called on the Gulf state to hold officers accountable.

In a report, the New York-based group said that police have been using a "discriminatory" amendment to the penal code passed by parliament in 2007 which arbitrarily criminalizes "imitating the opposite sex."

Transgender women are individuals who are born male but identify themselves as female.

[SandraJane]

Note-This post is about the actual report. -SJ

Human Rights Watch


"They Hunt Us Down for Fun"


Discrimination and Police Violence Against Transgender Women in Kuwait


January 15, 2012

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/01/15/they-hunt-us-down-fun

http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/kuwait0112ForUpload.pdf  (Actual Report)


This 63-page report documents the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and persecution that transgender women – individuals who are born male, but identify as female – have faced at the hands of police. The report also documents the discrimination that transgender women have faced on a daily basis – including by members of the public – as a result of the law, an amendment to penal code article 198.