Nationality legislations in countries that revoke citizenship: Functioning and implications
From the shores of Antigua and Barbuda to the islands of the Solomon Islands, and across continents like Europe and Africa, 80 nations worldwide have laid down the law: they can strip citizenship from immigrants who've been naturalized but commit serious crimes. The specific circumstances and timeframe for this action vary from country to country, but the basic idea is the same - if a naturalized citizen commits a heinous crime, they'll lose their adopted nationality.
Take, for instance, the United States, where citizenship is taken away if there's a conviction for crimes such as espionage or terrorism. And guess what, terrorism is one of the most common reasons for the stripping of nationality. Much like the USA, Germany does the same. Participating in a terrorist organization, whether within or outside the country's borders, is grounds for having one's German citizenship revoked. The story's the same in France, where naturalized foreigners who are convicted of corruption lose their nationality if the crime was committed within a year before obtaining citizenship or within 10 years after their application is accepted.
Remember Shamima Begum, a British woman who left England to join ISIS in Syria? In 2019, she was found pregnant and wanted to return to the UK to have her child. The UK shocked the world by stripping her of her citizenship. Her baby was born in Syria and passed away a month later in a refugee camp.
However, not every country has implemented this law. The United Kingdom is one of the exceptions. It's worth noting that the process isn't a simple or automatic procedure. There are limitations in place, such as ensuring that the law of citizenship revocation is in line with the Constitution. Many countries also ensure that the individuals in question have dual citizenship so that they don't become stateless if their citizenship is revoked. However, some countries take it a step further. For example, in Malta, if an individual is convicted to at least 12 months of imprisonment within the first seven years after naturalization, they'll lose their citizenship.
There are also countries like Portugal that have recently proposed stricter rules for naturalization, including the power to revoke citizenship from naturalized individuals convicted of serious crimes. Even if Portugal's new rules do become law, they assure that revocation wouldn't result in statelessness. Other countries, like France, Belgium, Lithuania, and the United States, have similar provisions in place, but the details for these countries aren't as readily available.
In the context of global politics and general-news, many countries, including the United States, Germany, and France, have laws permitting the revocation of citizenship for individuals who commit serious crimes, such as terrorism, after naturalization. Contrastingly, Portugal, aiming to tighten its naturalization rules, has recently proposed a law that allows for the revocation of citizenship for naturalized individuals convicted of serious crimes, ensuring they won't become stateless.
