FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR RESIDENCE PERMIT TRADER

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001664 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARP G/TIP, AND INL/HSTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM ELAB KU IZ BA TIP SUBJECT: FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR RESIDENCE PERMIT TRADER ¶1. The Arabic-language daily Al-Watan reported on May 10 that the Criminal Court sentenced an Iraqi man to five years in prison and subsequent deportation for fraudulently obtaining residence permits. The convicted man was using a Bahraini identification card to sponsor workers. He aroused suspicion when he tried to renew a residence permit and the Immigration Department noticed that the Bahraini I.D. had recently expired. They discovered the actual Bahraini had not been in Kuwait since 2002 yet tens of workers were sponsored under his name during that time. ¶2. Comment: The phenomenon of illegally selling residence permits is a major contributing factor to exploitation of expatriate workers. Some workers go deeply into debt in order to obtain residence permits from criminal brokers. Since they are sponsored illegally, they usually work without contracts which makes it harder for them to redress work-related grievances. Furthermore, they are generally unwilling to go to authorities when employers exploit their indebtedness and illegal status. A sentence of five years for the perpetrator in this instance is a strong deterrent message. End Comment. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON