killing her employee, Filipina domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende, and reduced her 1. “Kuwait: Authorities must release arbitrarily detained individuals”, sentence to 15 years in prison. The court 14 December upheld the four-year sentence against her Kuwaiti husband. KYRGYZSTAN WOMEN’S RIGHTS Kyrgyz Republic In early February, Kuwaiti women launched Head of state: Sadyr Japarov (replaced Talant Mamytov their own #MeToo movement against sexual in January) harassment under the name Lan Asket (“I Head of government: Ulukbek Maripov (replaced Artem will not be silenced”). Novikov in February) During the year, at least two women were murdered, including a Bidun woman at the Survivors of domestic violence faced hands of her brother. In one of the cases, in difficulties in reporting abuse and accessing January, Farah Hamza Akbar was abducted support. Peaceful demonstrators faced and held briefly by Fahad Subhi Mohieddin violence and the new Constitution Mohammed, who had been harassing her. undermined the right to freedom of She lodged a complaint while he remained peaceful assembly. Journalists and activists free, having signed a pledge not to harm her, critical of the government faced attacks on and the case went to trial on abduction social media and unjust prosecution. charges. In mid-April, Fahad Mohammed Torture and other ill-treatment remained killed her. He was sentenced to death on widespread, as did impunity. 6 July for murder and on 26 July he was BACKGROUND additionally sentenced to 15 years in prison for abduction. He appealed against both A new Constitution was passed by sentences. referendum and enacted in May. The Council In May, two women, a Kuwaiti national and of Europe’s Venice Commission and the a Bidun, were arrested for placing street OSCE expressed concerns over the “overly signs bearing the initials of female victims of prominent” role of the president, the male violence and the manner of their weakened role of the parliament and deaths. They were later released. “potential encroachments on judicial independence”. LGBTI PEOPLE’S RIGHTS Clashes between local residents on the On 3 October, a criminal court convicted Kyrgyz-Tajik border in April-May left at least Maha al-Mutairi, a transgender woman, 36 Kyrgyzstanis dead. under the 2014 Communications Law and The Covid-19 pandemic continued to affect Article 198 of the Penal Code which the economy. The vaccination programme criminalizes “imitat[ing] the other sex in any was delayed by a shortage of vaccines and way,” and sentenced her to two years in hampered by inefficient distribution of prison and a fine based on her online humanitarian aid, but by September over 1 activities in 2021. She was incarcerated in million people had had at least one Kuwait Central Prison for men. She lodged an vaccination. In June vaccination was made appeal against her sentence. compulsory for all health workers and later DEATH PENALTY for other categories, causing controversy, although sanctions for those refusing were Courts continued to hand down death unclear. sentences; no executions were reported. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 226