State Duma rejects initiative to revoke citizenship for terrorism

The Russian State Duma Committee has removed the regulation of deprivation of citizenship from the package of anti-terrorism laws.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in early September 2015, Yunus-Bek Evkurov voiced an initiative to revoke the citizenship of Russian citizens who left for fighting for the "Islamic State" (IS) (recognized in Russia as a terrorist organization, and its activities were banned by a court decision). On April 8, a new package of anti-terrorism laws was introduced to the Russian State Duma, including a draft law stipulating deprivation of citizenship for terrorism.

The regulation on deprivation of citizenship has been excluded from the new amendments to the draft laws, the "RBC" quotes today Ernest Valeev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Duma Committee for Security and Anti-Corruption.

It should be noted that the original draft suggested that Russian citizenship would be revoked from "sentenced terrorists with two citizenships, including the citizenship of the Russian Federation." According to the draft law, a person cannot be deprived of citizenship in case if "he or she does not have another citizenship or guarantees for its acquisition."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.