On Sunday, Kuwait and Turkey sought to address the ramifications of the assault on a Kuwaiti citizen in Trabzon, Turkey, according to statements from both countries' authorities. A video that appeared to show the assault on the Kuwaiti citizen circulated widely on social media.
A Kuwaiti statement indicated that Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Sabah contacted the Kuwaiti citizen “to check on him and to understand his health condition” and the care he is receiving in the hospital. The statement reaffirmed Kuwait's rejection of such acts of violence and noted that Turkish authorities are taking “necessary measures against the assailant,” who is in custody, with ongoing follow-up from the Kuwaiti embassy in Ankara.
Kuwait and Turkey have growing economic and political relations, with Turkey being a primary destination for Kuwaiti tourists. Turkish construction companies are engaged in major projects for the Kuwaiti government, including the new passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, while Kuwaiti companies invest in various sectors in Turkey. Kuwait has signed a contract with Turkey for an undisclosed number of armed Bayraktar TB2 drones valued at $367 million.
The Turkish embassy in Kuwait reported that Ambassador Tuğba Nur Sönmez spoke by phone with the injured Kuwaiti citizen, confirming that "his health is good" and that he left the hospital early this morning. The ambassador noted that the relevant authorities were acting “as quickly as possible” to apprehend the assailant and bring him to trial, emphasizing that "this painful incident will not overshadow the strong relations between the two countries but rather enhance solidarity between them."
### Trabzon Governorate Statement
The Trabzon Governorate in Turkey issued an official statement regarding the assault on the Kuwaiti tourist in the city, which sparked outrage among social media users and activists.
The statement read: "During an attempt by police to calm a verbal altercation between tourists in one of the city's squares, a Turkish citizen, at 22:20 on Saturday, September 16, 2023, punched one of the tourists, a Kuwaiti citizen, believing he was resisting police."
The statement added that following the injury sustained by the Kuwaiti tourist from the punch, the assailant was apprehended, and a judicial investigation was initiated based on instructions from the public prosecutor’s office. One of the courts in Trabzon ordered him to be imprisoned.
Furthermore, the Trabzon Governorate stated: "What occurred is an individual act and does not reflect the hospitality traditions of Turkish society or the residents of Trabzon."
