Kuwait: Halt Dress-Code Crackdown
31 Mar 2008 18:31:54 GMT
Source: Human Rights Watch
(New York, March 31, 2008) – New arrests show that Kuwait has resumed enforcing a repressive dress code that criminalizes "imitating the appearance of the opposite sex," Human Rights Watch said today. It called on the government to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of people detained and to repeal the offending provision, which violates Kuwait's human rights obligations.
"This vague and sweeping law is based on prejudice and gives authorities a green light to abuse people over how they dress," said Joe Stork, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "It violates basic rights to privacy and free expression, and these continuing arrests show why it should be repealed."
