Kuwait bans women's yoga retreat, sparking controversy

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior banned a women's yoga retreat that was scheduled to be held in the desert, after a deputy demanded to cancel it, on the grounds that it is a "dangerous" matter for the conservative Kuwaiti society, despite it being the most open in the Gulf.

Kuwaiti yoga instructor Iman Al-Husseinan announced, through her account on Instagram, on January 26, the organization of a yoga trip for women over 18 years old to the Al-Zour area in the Kuwaiti desert.

The session includes "proper breathing, relaxation, yoga exercises and a meditation session" in the presence of two inspiring personalities in Kuwait, diver Faisal Al-Mousawi and human relations consultant Saad Al-Rifai.

However, Representative Hamdan Al-Azmi asked this week to prevent the trip, and wrote in a tweet: "We stress the Minister of Interior to move quickly, stop these internal practices, and hold those who were granted licenses to account immediately," adding, "This is a dangerous matter."

The trainer confirmed to AFP that the event was banned, before indicating in a video recording that she was waiting for an official permission to hold it.

Kuwaiti women have always pushed to bypass the restrictions of their society, which is considered one of the most open societies in the region.

Last year, you challenged conservative mores and a culture of "shame" to speak out against harassment for the first time.

The yoga instructor explained in the recording, which she posted on social media, "We have already emphasized the need to dress appropriately to participate in the sessions, which is modest clothing (...) but I was subjected to a fierce attack. They presented a picture of the event in a derogatory manner, portraying it as immoral."

"These projections are not a reflection of my morals or the morals of any Kuwaiti or Kuwaiti woman," she added.

A lawyer named Areej Hamadeh said that she had filed a complaint with the Speaker of the National Assembly against MP Al-Azmi.

"The MP has infringed on the constitution and personal freedoms and decided to impose guardianship on society under the pretext of its customs and traditions," she told AFP.

She considered that "the interference of some parliamentarians in the personal lives of women has increased in the recent period, and some have begun to exploit women's weapons and freedoms to terrorize the government."

Unlike other countries in the region, Kuwait enjoys an active political life and its parliament, the National Assembly, which is elected for a four-year term, enjoys broad legislative powers and is often subject to intense debate.

Kuwait was the first Gulf Arab country to adopt a parliamentary system in 1962. Women were granted the right to vote and stand for election in 2005.

Al-Azmi sparked controversy when he questioned the defense minister in January about the decision to allow women to join the military in combat roles for the first time.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Defense imposed new rules on women enlisting in the military, including the requirement to wear a headscarf, obtain permission from a male guardian to join, and not allow them to bear arms.