Govt to amend citizenship, aliens Acts to curb terrorism

The government is planning to amend the laws related to dual citizenship and residence permit of the asylum seekers following the attack in Turku on August 18.

Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sport Sampo Terho on Thursday said that the government is planning changes in Nationality Act, which dates back to 2003, reported National Broadcaster Yle.

Legislation will be planned to strip a dual citizen of Finnish nationality, if he or she has been found guilty of terrorism.

Moreover, hiding of an asylum seeker by a citizen will be criminalized, and rejected asylum seekers can be kept in custody if a threat analysis indicates they are dangerous.

Restrictions on undocumented people would be tightened and tougher punishment could also be in the work for those who assist people in the country illegally.

The leader of the Sininen tulevaisuus (Blue Reform) parliamentary group, Simon Elo, told Yle that the cabinet is preparing a raft of changes to the Nationality Act and the Aliens Act.

"We're changing the Aliens Act and the Nationality Act so that we can in the future, based on national security, cancel residence permits, impose entry bans, rescind citizenship or refugee status," Elo told Yle.