18 Jan Kuwaiti security agents kidnap and imprison own officer in ‘cold lock-up’
Kuwaiti state security agents affiliated with the Ministry of Interior are being investigated for kidnapping and torturing a senior officer.
The investigation was confirmed via a statement released to news website Independent Arabia. Full details are still yet to be released.
According to one source who spoke to local newspaper Al-Qabas, the senior officer was reportedly imprisoned in a cold lock-up until he lost consciousness. Whilst little is known, agents reportedly told investigators that their actions were ‘in line with customary military procedures’ used to extract confessions from suspects.
The security agents in question have also reportedly said that senior officers at the State Security service were aware of the incident as it happened.
Interior Minister Sheikh Thamer Al-Salem Al-Sabah has now been publicly criticised for not acting sooner or preventing this from happening.
Abdul Karim Al-Kandari, a member of Kuwait’s National Assembly, posted a statement on Twitter calling for an explanation from the Interior Minister. He wrote: “A citizen has been tortured in State Security, and there is a statement from the head of the National Office for Human Rights pointing to crimes of torture in police stations.”
“I am waiting for you [the Interior Minister] to take action on these issues and to assume the responsibility that you swore to abide by, and that is to protect people’s freedom.”
The investigation remains ongoing.