On 29 May 1996 a Kuwaiti Islamic family court declared “Robert” Hussein Qambar ‘Ali, a convert to Christianity, an apostate. This is the first legal case of its kind in Kuwait. Since then, Hussein Qambar ‘Ali, a 45-year-old businessman, has said that he has received numerous death threats and was in constant fear for his life. His conversion was also reportedly denounced in Kuwaiti mosques and in parliament by some Islamist members of parliament. The Kuwaiti authorities have stated that the Constitution guarantees freedom of faith and that he is not facing any penalty imposed by the authorities. However, Amnesty International is calling on the authorities to publicly affirm his right to safety and to investigate any threats made against him.
