In Kuwait, homosexuality is punishable with up to seven years in prison
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A senior Kuwaiti official says medical tests will be carried out on expatriates to "detect" homosexuals and prevent them from entering the state - or any of the five other Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), according to media reports on Tuesday.
"Health centres conduct the routine medical check to assess the health of expatriates when they come into the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC)," said Yousouf Mindkar, director of public health at the Kuwaiti health ministry.
"However we will take stricter measures that will help us detect gays who will then be barred from entering Kuwait or any of the GCC member states," he was quoted as telling the Kuwait newspaper, Al Rai.
It was not clear from media reports what the tests would entail.
Homosexuality is only legal in Bahrain, one of the six GCC members, which also comprise Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, according to a recent report by the International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) .
In Kuwait, homosexuality is punishable with up to seven years in prison, whereas in the ultraconservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is punishable by flogging or stoning.
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