Kuwait: Delete Article Allowing Men to Kill Women, Says MP

MP Safa’a Al-Hashem has submitted a bill on deleting Article 153 of Penal Code number 16/1960 stating that a man who kills his wife, daughter, sister or mother after catching her in the act of committing adultery will be imprisoned for three years maximum and fined KD3,000 maximum or any of these two penalties.

She pointed out this article violates articles Seven, Nine, 29, 34 and 70 of the Constitution. She said Article 135 of the Penal Code allows the man in this case to kill the accused and exempts him from the penalties (death or life imprisonment) stipulated in articles 149 and 150 of the same code.

She added the article contravenes the Islamic Sharia and commitments of Kuwait as a signatory to the relevant international treaties.