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Syrians Awaiting Deportation From Kuwait Could Face Death Penalty

Human rights group says four refugees expelled from Kuwait for traffic violations were executed after arriving back in Syria
Syrians Awaiting Deportation From Kuwait Could Face Death Penalty

The secretary-general of the Al-Kafi human rights organization, Hussein al-Shamali, said that four Syrians who were expelled from Kuwaiti territory had recently been executed by Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Shamali told the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas on Tuesday that the Syrians who were expelled and executed were deported from Kuwait “based on minor issues linked to driving without a driver’s license or traffic violations.” He noted the need to review the government’s expulsion of Syrians in favor of other legal punishments.

Shamali said the Kuwaiti-based organization had received distress calls from the families of detained Syrians facing deportation for similar issues.

In the same context, he said that the matter was not only linked to execution, as the organization had observed disappearances affecting dozens of Syrians who were deported from the country, adding that some families have not heard from their relatives since reportedly arriving in Syria.

Shamali said that the Assad regime had taken harsh measures, including execution, for those who attacked the regime online or through various political avenues. He said that such circumstances require the Kuwaiti government to review how it deals with people of the Syrian community, especially in relation to deportations for minor matters.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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