KUWAIT CITY, July 16: The Ministry of Interior has released statistics covering the period from January 1 to June 30, 2025, revealing a significant number of arrests involving wanted individuals, legal violators, absconders, drug-related offenses, and traffic violations. The data also includes enforcement actions against unlicensed street vendors.

According to figures, under the leadership of Major General Hamad Al-Munifi, a total of 1,461 expatriates were apprehended for residency and labor-related violations. This included 730 individuals in violation of labor regulations and 731 marked as absconders.

The report highlights that security forces conducted 1,276 checkpoints across the country, resulting in the arrest of:

Furthermore, a total of 589 individuals were arrested for possession of illegal substances — 383 for suspected narcotics and 206 for intoxicants. Authorities also apprehended 424 illegal street vendors, recorded 74,842 traffic violations, impounded 1,426 vehicles, and arrested an additional 579 persons wanted by law enforcement.

A security source confirmed that the Public Security Sector remains actively engaged in tracking down lawbreakers, fugitives, and those evading justice. The public has been urged to cooperate with authorities by reporting any illegal activities and refraining from harboring violators to avoid facing legal consequences.

KUWAIT CITY, July 16: The Court of Appeals overturned the decision of the ministries of Interior and Justice to refrain from deleting the data of a citizen acquitted of indecent assault from their automated systems despite the issuance of a final ruling on the acquittal of the accused and the restoration of his reputation. The court affirmed that the failure of the administrative authorities to take the necessary technical and legal measures to erase the case data is a negative decision that violates the law and causes material and moral harm to citizens, threatens their reputation, and disrupts their daily transactions.

The court pointed out that judicial intervention is necessary to remove it. The case dates back to 2019, when the citizen was referred for trial on indecent assault charges. The court issued a final acquittal in 2020. The verdict was upheld on appeal and not appealed before the Court of Cassation, giving it final status. Despite this, the case data remained visible in the electronic systems of the ministries of Interior and Justice, prompting the citizen to submit a request for restoration of his reputation in 2024.

This request was later rejected, so he filed a lawsuit, which was rejected as well. He then appealed the ruling before the Court of Appeals, which ruled in his favor. The Court of Appeals explained that keeping the case data in the systems of the two ministries despite the acquittal of the accused is an unlawful failure to take a necessary decision, under Article 244 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Trials, stipulating that rehabilitation nullifies the conviction and all its effects, including the complete blocking of data from non-competent authorities.

The court responded to the administrative authorities’ arguments that the data was kept confidential within the systems, deeming this confidentiality “formal” if the information was accessible to unauthorized employees and impacted the citizen’s daily rights, even though the case did not appear in the criminal record. The court accepted the appeal in form and in substance, overturned the initial ruling, and rescinded the negative decision and all its consequences. It also ordered the ministries of Interior and Justice to delete the case data from their systems and to bear legal expenses, including attorneys’ fees.

The defense in the case was undertaken by Attorney Fahd Al-Shammari, who explained that the ruling is a victory for the proper application of the law. He asserted in a press statement that the ruling restores the dignity of his client and establishes the principle that acquittal must be followed by the erasure of effects, which could hinder a person’s life, especially in daily dealings. Al-Shammari added that the court established an important legal rule, which balances the requirements of security and the rights of individuals to regain their legal and social status. “We welcome this ruling, which does justice to the citizen and grants him the right to open a new page, free of legal restrictions. It is an actual application of the philosophy of restoring dignity as intended by the Kuwaiti legislator,” he concluded.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, July 16: The Criminal Security Sector, represented by the General Department of Criminal Investigation – Anti-Financial Crimes Department, has arrested an individual accused of practicing magic, sorcery, and divination in exchange for money.

The arrest is part of the Ministry of Interior’s ongoing efforts to combat fraud and illegal practices that exploit the public.

Authorities received credible information that the suspect was deceiving citizens and residents by claiming he could predict the future and resolve family and financial issues through alleged magical rituals. He reportedly demanded large sums of money in return for his services.

Following verification of the tip-off, officials secured the necessary legal permissions and executed a carefully planned ambush. The suspect was caught in possession of various items used in sorcery, including magic books, talismans, unidentified liquids and substances, paper charms, a money collection box, and special clothing prepared for rituals known as “al-tabeet.”

Investigations revealed that the man had been previously arrested on similar charges nearly 20 years ago by the same department. At that time, legal measures were taken against him, and he had signed a pledge not to repeat such acts.

The suspect and the confiscated items have been referred to the relevant authorities for further legal action.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated its commitment to tackling all forms of fraud and sorcery, emphasizing that it will take firm action against anyone engaging in such activities. The public is urged not to deal with such individuals and to report any suspicious activity through official channels.