Courts rules that terror suspects can be stripped of citizenship

A Sudanese man, known only at K2, had claimed his human right to respect for private and family life was breached after then Home Secretary Theresa May revoked his citizenship while he was abroad.  K2 arrived in the UK as a child and became a naturalised citizen in 2000.  In 2009 he was charged with a public order offence, but before he was required to surrender his bail he left the country. It is alleged that he then took part in terrorism-related activities in Somalia on his way to Sudan.  Theresa May as the then Home Secretary made an order taking away his UK citizenship and excluding him from the country.

The European Court of Human Rights judges have unanimously backed her decision saying that Mrs May had “acted swiftly and diligently, and in accordance with the law”. While the case just looked at K2, it will have implications for wider policy in the UK.  This ruling means the Government will be more likely to use the tactic in the future.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/09/terror-suspects-british-citizenship-european-ruling

 

 

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