PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 17/005/2005

09 December 2005

UA 311/05 Imminent Execution

KUWAIT Thamer M A (m) (full name not known)

Thamer M A, who was sentenced to death for murder by Kuwait's Criminal Court, has now had his sentence ratified by the Amir of Kuwait, and may be executed at any time. The Amir still has the power to stop the execution.

Thamer reportedly had an affair with a girl who went on to marry another man, Adel L A. When he asked the girl to divorce her husband she refused, and Thamer was convicted of shooting him dead on 10 July 2003.

Thamer's appeals have been rejected by the Court of Appeals and then by the Court of Cassation.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Arabic or your own language:

- urging the authorities to commute the death sentence imposed on Thamer M A;

- acknowledging the role of governments in bringing the perpetrators of violent crimes to justice, but expressing unconditional opposition to the death penalty as the ultimate violation of the right to life;

- calling for all outstanding death sentences in Kuwait to be commuted to more humane alternatives;

- reminding the authorities of the growing international trend towards abolition of the death penalty, and urging them to establish a moratorium on the death penalty with a view to abolishing it, in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

APPEALS TO:

Amir
His Highness Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah

Amir of the State of Kuwait
al-Diwan al-Amiri, al-Safat, Kuwait
Fax: +965 539 6434
Salutation: Your Highness

Prime Minister
His Highness Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al- Sabah

Prime Minister
Council of Ministers General Secretariat
P .O. Box 1397, al-Safat 13014, Kuwait
Fax: +965 481 8028/9
Salutation: Your Highness

Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of the Interior
His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah
Ministry of the Interior
P.O.Box 12500, Shamiya 71655, Kuwait
Email: comment@moi.gov.kw
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee

Dr. Walid al-Tabatabai

Chairperson, Parliamentary Human Rights Committee National Assembly

P.O. Box 716, al-Safat 13008, Kuwait

Fax: +965 242 1948

+ 965 243 6331

E-mail: webadmin@alommah.gov.kw

Salutation: Dear Dr Tabtabai

and to diplomatic representatives of Kuwait accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 20 January 2006.