Kuwait plans to deport expatriates caught begging during Ramadan 2025, with 11 arrests reported. The crackdown involves deporting violators and penalizing sponsors, especially for illegal recruitment practices. Legal actions will extend to child exploitation cases and begging on social media. Enhanced patrols during Ramadan aim to curtail unlawful begging activities.
The Kuwaiti government is set to impose strict measures against expatriates caught begging during Ramadan 2025. The Interior Ministry has confirmed the arrest of 11 individuals—comprising eight women and three men of Arab and Asian nationalities—who were found begging at mosques and markets. This initiative aims to curb the illegal begging practices prevalent during this period of increased charity.
Among those arrested, some entered Kuwait with temporary visit visas or family residency permits while others were undocumented laborers without permanent employment. Legal actions are underway against firms that facilitated the recruitment of these workers in violation of Kuwait’s laws, as stated by the ministry.
The General Department of Residence Affairs Investigations will oversee the deportation of all offenders. Specifically, violators with residency permits as dependents will be deported alongside their sponsors. Employees caught begging will face deportation, and their employers will incur penalties.
Furthermore, domestic workers engaging in begging will also be subject to deportation, with their sponsors prohibited from future labor visa applications. The ministry has expressed zero tolerance for individuals exploiting children in begging schemes, warning that such cases will be classified as “exploitation of minors” and subjected to severe legal consequences.
Legal actions will extend to those soliciting donations via social media platforms, marking a comprehensive approach to confronting this issue. Amidst Ramadan’s spirit of generosity, the government has deployed specialized teams to patrol neighborhoods and arrest beggars, particularly targeting those who request alms during the Iftar period or are found outside places of worship and busy markets.
The Kuwaiti government’s crackdown on expatriate begging during Ramadan reinforces its commitment to legal enforcement and social order. By arresting individuals involved in begging and targeting sponsors, the approach addresses both the immediate issue of unlawful begging and the broader implications related to exploitation and illegal recruitment practices. The heightened legal measures signal the state’s intent to maintain societal integrity during a month typically recognized for benevolence.
Original Source: gulfnews.com
