Manama: Egyptian diplomats in Kuwait are actively trying to resolve a case involving 20 Egyptians facing deportation in Kuwait for reportedly breaking the law.
The Egyptian nationals were arrested on Friday morning in Kuwait City for allegedly raising funds for a political party based in Egypt.
The Kuwaiti authorities charged them with breaking the law by not applying for permits for the fund-raising activity and for staging a public gathering. Under Kuwaiti laws, those found guilty of such violations may be deported.
However, Wael Jad, the Egyptian consul general in Kuwait said that the embassy was making efforts at the highest level to ensure that the 20 men were not deported. “They were arrested as they celebrated the new Hijri [Islamic] year at the Green Island without permission,” he said, quoted by Kuwaiti Arabic daily Al Rai on Sunday.
“We hope that the intensive efforts to keep them in Kuwait will be successful. We are looking forward to them staying in Kuwait for the sake of their future and that of their families, especially since most of them have been living in Kuwait for a long time,” the diplomat said.
Sources told the daily that some of the detainees had admitted that they were raising funds but insisted that they were only soliciting donations to help orphan children in Egypt.
Reports claimed that the Egyptians had worn shirts emblazoned with the logos of two political parties during the gathering.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said that the detainees had gathered to celebrate the new year following an open invitation posted on Facebook.
Kuwait and other Muslim countries marked the beginning of the Islamic lunar year on Thursday.
