Officials in Kuwait are proposing
screenings to detect and ban gays from entering a political and
economic union of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf.
According to Gulf
News, a central committee dealing with the status of expatriates
will look into the proposal next month.
“Health centers conduct the routine
medical check to assess the health of the expatriates when they come
into the GCC countries,” Yousuf Mindkar, director of public health
at the Kuwaiti health ministry, is quoted as saying by local daily Al
Rai on Monday. “However, we will take stricter measures that
will help us detect gays who will be then barred from entering Kuwait
or any GCC member states.”
Arab nations included in the Gulf
Cooperation Countries (GCC) include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. All 6 countries currently
ban gay sex.
People found guilty of violating the
law in Kuwait face up to 10 years in prison if those involved were
under the age of 21.