Kuwait revokes citizenship of two prominent actors years after their deaths

Dubai: Kuwait has revoked the citizenship of two celebrated actors, Abdulmohsen Al Suhaiel and Abdulrazzaq Ibrahim Al Khalaf, better known as Burzaiqa, despite both men having died years ago, as part of a sweeping decree that stripped nationality from 365 people.

The Supreme Committee for Nationality Affairs said on Sunday that the late Abdulmohsen Al Suhaiel and Abdulrazzaq Ibrahim Al Khalaf had their Kuwaiti citizenship revoked, along with that of their dependents. 

Al Suhaiel, who emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the country’s formative generation of performers, was celebrated for his roles in theatre and television that helped cement Kuwait’s reputation as a regional centre of Gulf drama. 

Burzaiqa, remembered for his comedic presence, also left an imprint on the Kuwaiti stage.

The decision has raised questions over why names of artistes who died years ago appeared on the lists. 

The revocations are reportedly consistent with an ongoing review of citizenship granted under special categories, including what is known as the “distinguished services” clause, which has faced scrutiny for decades.

Among the others named in the decree was Saad Kamil, a former international football referee widely respected in Asia.

Under Kuwait’s nationality law of 1959, citizenship can be withdrawn if it was obtained through fraud or false information, or if individuals are deemed to have violated conditions tied to their naturalization. 

Authorities have offered a four-month grace period, beginning July 19, for those affected under the “distinguished services” category to settle their status, and one year to obtain a foreign passport or legal residency.

These measures follow a series of high-profile cases that exposed citizenship fraud, including one in which a Gulf national allegedly assumed a false Kuwaiti identity to defraud his own brothers in a business dispute.