REWRITE ARTICLE 198

FROM KUWAIT'S PENAL CODE

Last updated: June 9, 2020 1:10 PM KSA
آخر تحديث: ٩ يونيو ٢٠٢٠ ١:١٠ ص

WHAT IS ARTICLE 198?

Article 198 prohibits public immorality. In 2008, the law was expanded to also outlaw "imitating the appearance of a member of the opposite sex" with fines and or imprisonment.

Penal Code 1960, Article 198 Lewd Acts
Article 198 criminalises “imitations” of the opposite sex and is used to limit gender expression by LGBT people.

LGBT rights are non-existent in Kuwait, with extreme punishments are consequences if any person advocates for the rights of these persons. We want the legal code to be rewritten to exclude the "imitating the appearance of a member of the opposite sex" portion of the Article as it is highly transphobic and infringes upon making Kuwait a “democratic country” and violates human rights.

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WHAT MAHA AL MUTAIRI TAUGHT US

A Kuwaiti transgender woman, Maha Al Mutairi, has been sentenced to a MALE prison for freely expressing her identity.

WARNING: mention of rape, transphobia..
Maha was brutally raped by the police officers in prison in order to escape repercussions she might face. The judge would see her face and would extend her sentence, do you think that is morally correct? She had to lie about her gender to escape but hasn't worked.

SNAPCHAT VIDEO TRANSLATION:
“I’m sure they want from me something, I’m tired of doing everything in return, it’s my right as a human being to live with my head held high, why do all of you cuss at me? I experienced sexual assault in prison... I’ve been raped, when you criticize me for 'looking like the other gender'... that’s not the case! I’m a girl, how do I get out of it? Every time the judge sees me he renews my prison time, I even tried once to lie and say I’m not a girl to get myself out of this, do I have to lie to myself too?”

MAHA IS FINALLY FREE AND SAFE AT HOME ❤️

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HOW TO HELP

Follow our official campaign account here.

Please spread the following hashtags and talk about the situation. Raise awareness and stay safe.

#REWRITEARTICLE198
#WeAreAllForMaha
#كلنا_مها

Also please tag on your Tweets:

@HRC
(Human Rights Campaign)

@humanrights1st
(Human Rights First)

@hrw
(Human Rights Watch)

@amnesty
(Amnesty International)

And please sign this petition.

IF YOU CAN: Please consider donating here. It does not have to be a huge amount, but please consider donating to help her case.

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RESOURCES

The following links may be triggering. Proceed with caution.

https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/kuwait/

https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/kuwait/cross-dressers-heads-shaved-in-kuwait-1.1880480

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/blog/2017/9/15/kuwaiti-police-arrest-abuse-feminine-instagram-star

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/kuwaiti-authorities-arrest-23-cross-dressers-and-homosexuals

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2019/8/1/kuwaits-gay-community-wants-official-recognition-for-lgbt-rights

Kuwait Official Laws Website:
https://www.e.gov.kw/sites/kgoenglish/Pages/Business/InfoSubPages/LawsAndRegulations.aspx

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FAQ

Can I link this on social media?
Of course you can.

Do you have a proper social media account?
We are under @articie198 (capital i) on Twitter and will be opening an Instagram account soon.

Are there any petitions I can sign?
Yes! There is one official petition you can sign. Please sign here.

Can I donate?
Yes! A supporter in the US has generously created a GoFundMe Donation Page! Click here to donate. Do not donate on change.org since the donations go to the site and not the cause.

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#WHEREISMAHAALMUTAIRI

Maha has been officially deemed missing by her lawyer, Shaikha Salmeen. Her lawyer went everywhere today to find her and she is no where to be found. In her own words, she will go to the police station to check and see if she is registered or not. Authorities have likely kept her in hiding or have done something to her. Please help her.

This is her lawyer's account.

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