The DNA law 78/2015 will be in effect soon. It is an exceptional law, as it is considered, according to media reports, that Kuwait is the first country in the world that will apply the DNA law on all citizens, expats and visitors. The law deals with the inherited biological gene map, which indicates the individual's personality and distinguishes him from others. The biological characters or the genetic line of the non-coded sites are very clear in the chromosomal nucleic acid, that results from analyzing the nucleic acid in biological samples in order to decide personality and identity.

The law, which will be applied on nearly four million citizens and expats, headed the sites of embassies and foreign official establishments including immigration and travel sites in order to introduce the Kuwait law, because it is new and concerns all those who have a job or family affiliation in Kuwait. The DNA print plays a major role in identifying the individual's identity through deoxyribonucleic acid, and there are countries that benefited from the DNA print, including Argentina in the '70s and '80s in order to establish a database that helps those searching for their missing friends and relatives.

Canada is among the countries that relied on a DNA acid database of immigrants who were unable to submit documents proving their place of birth, while other countries relied on similar data in tracking criminals and identifying victims. As for the DNA database that will go with the application of the law in Kuwait, the state will have, from day one, a very important database of a very sensitive nature, some of which will help in identifying lineage and determining identity, and some of it may contribute to solving nationality issues and forgery, legally and scientifically.

Such data has security, social and political dimensions, so there must be transparency in details related to the law, as much as the law allows, of course. There are related questions that need clarification from the interior ministry, most notably the department that will collect the data, keep and analyze them, and if this department is inside Kuwait or abroad, and it is abroad, then it is a must to know its location and details. The data that will be available are not simple, and it is important to guarantee the safety and secrecy of information, and all that protects the constitutional and legal rights of the individual.

It is important to know all the details, because as it is known some global banks and intelligence agencies were electronically hacked, besides having the interior ministry being penetrated at the borders, along with nationality forgery. While it is true that the gangs were arrested, but a repetition of such crimes remains possible, so there must be transparency in implementing the law and societal cooperation in the first place for its success.

- Translated by Kuwait Times from Al-Qabas

By Khalid Al-Tarrah