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Introduction

The KILAW’s Journal publishing ethics goes beyond a mere legal obligation. They reflect its role in disseminating research and studies in law and Sharia, and its connection to an academic institution that promotes the teaching, adherence to, and respect for the law.

Since its establishment 12 years ago, KILAW’s Journal has been committed to upholding and respecting these principles. This dedication has earned it credibility and trust among researchers and academic institutions within Kuwait and internationally. Its efforts were crowned by achieving second position in the “Arcif” impact factor rankings for the most influential and highly cited Arab legal journals (114 Journals).

To translate this commitment into responsible practices, KILAW’s Journal has established objective rules and binding procedures that govern all stages and aspects of the scientific publishing process.

These encompass research submission, its evaluation and peer review, and the final decision to publish. The aim is to uphold and reinforce the principles and standards of legal scientific research, ensuring its credibility and reliability while fostering creativity and added value. This is achieved while respecting intellectual property rights and adhering to their recognized and obligatory regulations, as outlined in the journal’s electronic and print versions.

To fulfill its professional and academic responsibilities KILAW’s Journal has established guidelines, conditions, and responsibilities that apply to all individuals involved in the publishing process. These are outlined as follows:

First: Publishing Ethics for Researchers

1- Originality and Relevance:

Researchers must submit original, innovative, and significant work that addresses important issues. The researcher should focus on the subject matter without unnecessary theoretical introductions or unrelated elaborations.

 

2- Declaration of Authenticity:

Researchers are required to sign a declaration affirming that the submitted work is original, has not been previously published (in print or electronically), is not part of a published book, thesis, or dissertation, has not been submitted to another journal, and has not undergone peer review by other journals locally or internationally.

  • Proper Attribution:

All citations must be accurately documented and attributed to their original sources, including books, research papers, and online materials.

  • Critical and In-Depth Analysis:

The Researcher must employ a critical methodology, thoroughly discussing the subject matter and its complexities. Introductions should clearly outline the topic, its importance, scope, objectives, methodology, and a brief review of previous studies. Conclusions must present the results, recommendations for resolving issues, and suggestions for future research.

 

  • Adherence to Academic Integrity:

Researchers must uphold the principles of academic integrity, particularly in citations and references.

  • Utilization of Diverse Sources:

The Researcher should rely on recent, diverse, and credible sources from both local and international contexts. Authors must also provide access to their study data upon the journal’s request while maintaining confidentiality and intellectual property rights.

  • Plagiarism:

Plagiarism, including the failure to cite sources or attribute referenced materials, is considered unethical and unacceptable by the journal and its publisher, the Kuwait International Law School.

  • Acknowledgment of Contributions:

All contributors must be credited, and their roles should be clearly identified.

  • Implementation of Feedback:

Researchers must incorporate reviewers’ comments and recommendations within the specified timeframe.

  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure:

Researchers must disclose any conflicts of interest that may influence the interpretation of their findings.

 

  • Error Notification and Correction:

Researchers must notify the journal of any errors discovered post-publication and cooperate to correct or retract the research if necessary.

 

 

Second: Publishing Ethics for Editorial Board Members

 

  • Qualified Editorial Team:

The editorial board comprises professors and associate professors from both inside and outside Kuwait International Law School, ensuring diverse expertise across major legal fields.

 

  • Objectivity and Professionalism:

Editorial board members must assess submissions based solely on academic criteria without bias or any external considerations.

 

  • Confidentiality:

All information related to submitted research or researchers must be kept strictly confidential by the editorial board members.

  • Avoidance of Conflicts of Interest:

Editorial board members must not use personal data gained from submitted research for personal gain or allow conflicts of interest to influence their decisions.

 

  • Peer Review Process:

The editorial board members must ensure that submitted research is reviewed by qualified experts, and publication decisions must be based on their evaluations.

 

  • Addressing Ethical Violations:

The editorial board is responsible for investigating ethical breaches, gathering evidence, and taking appropriate action, including forming committees to address violations.

 

  • Journal Development:

Editorial board members must actively contribute to the journal’s growth and quality improvement.

 

  • Participation in Board Meetings:

Editorial board members are required to attend regular meetings that are held to discuss research and operational matters related to the journal.

 

  • Resignation Protocol:

Editorial board members must inform the Editor-in-Chief if they are unable to fulfil their duties, in order to ensure the continuity of the journal and allow the editorial board to start the process of selecting a new board member.

 

Third: Publishing Ethics for Peer Reviewers

 

  • Objective and Constructive Feedback:

Reviewers must provide unbiased, constructive feedback to enhance the quality of submitted research.

  • Timely and Accurate Reviews:

Peer reviewers are expected to complete their evaluations promptly and accurately within a period not exceeding 21 days.

  • Notification of Inability to Review:

If unable to continue the review process, reviewers must inform the Editor-in-Chief to reassign the paper.

  • Confidentiality:

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of the manuscripts and refrain from discussing them outside the review process.

  • Constructive Criticism:

Feedback should focus on the research’s quality and include specific, actionable suggestions.

  • Plagiarism and Reference Checks:

Reviewers should identify uncredited references and point out similarities with other works.

  • Conflict of Interest Disclosure:

Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and avoid using personal information gained from the manuscript’s submission for personal gain.

  • Specialization Alignment:

If a reviewer feels unqualified to assess a submission, they must notify the editorial board before accepting the review.

 

Fourth: Publishing Ethics for the Journal

 

  • Practical Verification of the Integrity of Submitted Research:

The Journal’s editorial board ensures the integrity of submitted research and the researcher’s adherence to publication rules and ethics by analysing the text using specialised software. A report is generated detailing citation percentages and documentation accuracy, and the results are then presented to the Editor- in- Chief.

  • Dealing with Misconduct:

If it is proven that the researcher has published the submitted research, either in print or electronically, before or after submitting it to the journal, the researcher will be banned from publishing in the journal for a minimum of two years, and their affiliated institution will be notified. In cases of proven plagiarism in the submitted research, the Kuwait International Law School Journal, after verifying the allegations of plagiarism, will take the following actions:

  • If the researcher is not affiliated with the Kuwait International Law School, the research will be withdrawn from the journal, cancelled from its records and archives, and a note will be issued regarding the matter.
  • The plagiarized research will be kept as evidence for any further action against the researcher.
  • A clarifying announcement will be published in a subsequent issue of the journal.
  • The researcher will bear all costs incurred by the journal due to the publication of the plagiarized research.
  • The researcher’s affiliated institution will be notified of the plagiarism case.
  • The researcher will be permanently banned from publishing in the journal.
  • If the researcher is affiliated with the Kuwait International Law School, the same actions as above will apply, in addition to referring the case to the school’s administration for investigation. A disciplinary committee will be formed to examine the case, and penalties will be imposed in accordance with the school’s regulations based on the investigation results.
  • Transparency and Integrity in Publishing:

The journal ensures clear, professional, and transparent handling based on predefined rules at all stages of the publication process—from initial evaluation to peer review, and finally to the decision-making process after revisions. All these stages and procedures are made known to researchers, reviewers, and editorial board members.

  • Objectivity and Impartiality:

The journal handles submitted research objectively, professionally, and impartially when making decisions regarding acceptance.

  • Provision of Resources and Support:

The journal provides the necessary resources and support to the editorial board and reviewers to ensure a qualitative and effective review process.

  • Protection of Personal Data:

The journal ensures the protection of researchers’ and research participants’ personal data and privacy and does not use it for purposes other than academic publishing.

  • Promoting Open Access:

The journal adopts an Open Access policy to enhance the dissemination of legal research.

  • Fee-free-Publishing:

As part of the journal’s mission to promote accessible and high-quality legal scholarship, KILAW Journal ensures that authors face no financial barriers to publication. There are no submission or publication fees for authors.

  • Providing Information and Resources:

The journal ensures that the editorial board, management, and reviewers have access to the necessary information and resources to perform their tasks effectively and contribute meaningfully to legal academic research.

  • Responding to Researchers, Complaints, and Inquiries:

The journal has an effective communication policy with researchers, reviewers, and editorial board members. It promptly responds to submissions, complaints, and inquiries related to the publication process, handling them professionally and swiftly, whether through the Journal’s submission portal, through the Journal’s email and through the managing editor’s personal contact.

  • Periodic Review:

The Kuwait International Law School Journal periodically reviews its publication policies and procedures in consultation with the editorial board.

  • Editorial Review of Final Peer-Review Feedback:

The editor-in-chief and the editorial board reviews the reports and recommendations from peer reviewers to ensure their objectivity, validity of conclusions, and adherence to academic research standards.

  • Providing Reviewer Feedback to Researchers in Case of Rejection:

To help researchers enhance their research capabilities, the journal informs researchers of the rejection decision based on peer reviewers’ recommendations. Researchers are offered access to peer-review reports upon request.

  • Assigning a Third Reviewer for Disputes:

To ensure fairness and objectivity, the editor-in-chief refers the submitted research to a third reviewer if there is a disagreement between the two reviewers—one recommending publication with revisions and the other recommending either substantial revisions or rejection.