Inflation and decline in purchasing power cited as key factors driving revision
2 MIN READ
A sweeping set of legal reforms aim to modernize the country’s legal framework have been unveiled. Illustrative image.
A sweeping set of legal reforms aim to modernize the country’s legal framework have been unveiled. Illustrative image.
WAM file
Dubai: The Kuwaiti Cabinet has announced two major legislative changes in a sweeping set of legal reforms aiming to modernize the country’s legal framework and align it more closely with international human rights standards and economic realities.
On Sunday, the Cabinet issued Decree-Law No. 8 of 2025, amending Article 251 of the Civil Code, which governs blood money compensation (diya) in Kuwait. The amendment doubles the value of blood money from 10,000 Kuwaiti dinars (Dh119,041) to 20,000 dinars, a figure that had remained unchanged for over four decades since its initial establishment under Decree-Law No. 67 of 1980.
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Officials cited economic shifts, inflation, and the decline in purchasing power as key factors driving the revision. “The previous amount no longer reflected contemporary financial realities and failed to fulfill its intended purpose — neither in compensating victims’ families adequately nor in deterring acts of violence,” the Cabinet said in an accompanying memorandum.
The government emphasized that the decision aligns with Islamic legal tradition, which permits adjustments in diya based on economic circumstances. The memorandum referenced historical precedents, including increases to blood money during the era of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, when camel prices — the traditional basis for calculating diya—had risen.
The revised law takes immediate effect upon publication in the Official Gazette and removes a clause that previously allowed changes to diya by decree, thereby creating a more stable legal benchmark.
Gender equality
In a parallel move, Kuwait has also taken a significant step toward gender equality and legal reform by abolishing a controversial provision of the Penal Code. Decree-Law No. 9 of 2025, published in the official gazette Kuwait Alyoum, cancels Article 153 of the Penal Code, which had previously allowed lenient sentencing for men who killed female relatives caught in the act of adultery.
The provision, originally enacted under Law No. 16 of 1960, has long faced criticism from human rights advocates for enshrining gender-based discrimination. Under the now-abolished article, men could invoke a legal excuse to reduce punishment in such cases — an option not extended to women under any circumstances.
An explanatory note accompanying the decree emphasized that the article contravened both the Kuwaiti Constitution and the country’s obligations under international treaties, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rightsand the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
“Mitigating the punishment for such crimes contributes to their perpetuation,” the government stated, noting that Article 29 of the Constitution guarantees equal dignity and rights for all individuals, regardless of gender.
Human rights organizations have long argued that such legal excuses normalize violence against women and run counter to global standards for gender equality and justice. The decree-law now mandates full criminal accountability, regardless of provocation or gender.
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