VZCZCXRO9444
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHKU #1664 1300954
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100954Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4389
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

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. 
 
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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/ 
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LEBARON