[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1450-E1451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN KUWAIT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 1, 1996

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, a constituent of mine, Paul Bennett of New 
Albany, IN, contacted me in June on behalf of Robert Hussein, Kuwaiti 
citizen who converted to Christianity.
  I wrote to the Kuwaiti Ambassador, to express Mr. Bennett's and my 
own concern for Mr. Hussein's safety, and in support of his right to 
practice the religion of his choosing. In his July 25 response, 
Ambassador Al-Sabah informs me that the ``Government of the State of 
Kuwait has stated publicly that it will guarantee Mr. Hussein's 
safety.''
  I would like to bring my correspondence with Ambassador Al-Sabah on 
this matter to the attention of my colleagues:


                                      House of Representatives

                                    Washington, DC, June 17, 1996.
     His Excellency Mohammed Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah,
     Ambassador, Embassy of the State of Kuwait, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Ambassador: I write with respect to the civil 
     court decision of May 29, 1996 and apostasy declaration 
     against Kuwaiti citizen Hussein Qambar (Robert Hussein) and 
     the judge's statement that Mr. Hussein ``should be killed.''

[[Page E1451]]

       I am deeply concerned about this call by the judge for 
     extrajudicial violence against Mr. Hussein. I urge your 
     government to take necessary measures to protect Mr. Hussein 
     and request that your government reaffirm publicly the right 
     of Mr. Hussein to practice the religion of this choice, 
     according to articles 29 and 35 of Kuwait's Constitution.
       Our two countries enjoy close relations, and I am proud 
     that our soldiers served and fought together in the war to 
     liberate Kuwait from Iraqi aggression. As a friend of Kuwait, 
     I would urge/you to address the personal safety of Mr. 
     Hussein and take steps to uphold the principles of religious 
     freedom embodied in you Constitution.
       I appreciate your attention to this matter, and I look 
     forward to your reply.
       With best regards,
           Sincerely,
                                                  Lee H. Hamilton.
                                  ____
                                  


                               Embassy of the State of Kuwait,

                                   Washington, DC., July 25, 1996.
     The Honorable Lee Hamilton,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Hamilton: Thank you very much for your 
     inquiry concerning the Kuwaiti citizen, Mr. Robert Hussein, 
     who has recently converted from Islam to Christianity.
       The Government of the State of Kuwait has stated publicly 
     that it will guarantee Mr. Hussein's safety. A public 
     statement issued by the Ministry of Justice and dated 22nd of 
     July 1996, affirms unequivocably Mr. Robert Hussein's right 
     to practice the religion of his choice with all the freedoms 
     that one commonly associates with religious practices; and 
     further states that it is the duty of the Kuwaiti authorities 
     to protect him against any threats, harassment or abuse, just 
     like any other citizen or non-citizen of the State of Kuwait.
       Here as follows are some of the significant facts that must 
     be clarified:
       1. Originally, Mr. Hussein's case was brought before the 
     Family Courts system in Kuwait, which is governed by 
     religious law in matters pertaining to marriage, divorce and 
     inheritance, only. As well, this case is a civil case between 
     Mr. Hussein and his wife, involving also child custody. While 
     the courts have ruled in Mr. Hussein's favor in the child 
     custody case, his former wife has appealed the verdict.
       2. I wish to assure you that Mr. Hussein has neither been 
     incarcerated nor sentenced to death by the State as has been 
     reported erroneously. Furthermore, though he has been 
     declared an apostate by the Family Court, the only penalty 
     that was imposed on Mr. Hussein was to fine him the nominal 
     court fees.
       3. Mr. Hussein's constitutionally guaranteed civil rights 
     remain intact and unaffected by the case. These include his 
     right to own property, vote or receive government benefits. 
     If Mr. Hussein feels that his constitutionally guaranteed 
     rights are being compromised, he may choose to bring his 
     appeal before the appropriate authorities at the Ministry of 
     Justice and/or the Human Rights Committee in the Kuwaiti 
     Parliament. In addition, Kuwait's independent and free press 
     has shown unwavering commitment towards reporting human 
     rights complaints by citizens and non-citizens alike. 
     Kuwait's press remains a testament to our nation's desire for 
     a more open and tolerant society.
       In conclusion, let me say that justice, liberty and 
     equality for all citizens are not only guaranteed by the 
     constitution (article No. 35 states that ``Freedom of 
     religion is absolute''); but also, Kuwait has had and 
     continues to have a very long-standing tradition of religious 
     tolerance and acceptance. In Kuwait today there are at least 
     six churches and no less than 200,000 practicing christians 
     allowed to worship publicly. As a matter of fact, Kuwait's 
     first modern hospital was built by American missionaries 
     during the first decade of our present century. This enduring 
     gift of the evangelical church of America is a shining 
     witness to the Kuwaiti national character that is based on 
     tolerance and respect for the beliefs of others.
       I hope that the above information has helped to clarify 
     some of the issues in the aforenoted case, however, should 
     you require additional information concerning this and any 
     other matter, please feel free to contact the Embassy of 
     Kuwait.
       Best regards,
           Sincerely,
                                      Mohammed S. Al-Sabah, Ph.D.,
     Ambassador.

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