Dual citizens to lose Finnish citizenship for terrorism

The government plans to amend the Nationality Act so that the Finnish citizenship of any dual citizen involved in terrorism could be cancelled.

The Ministry of the Interior has launched a project on the legal amendment to lay down provisions for cancellation of the Finnish citizenship of the people having dual citizenship who are found guilty of any terrorist offence, said an official press release.

According to the government action plan on asylum policy, measures will be taken to criminalise participation in the activities of any organisation classified by the UN and the EU as a terrorist group, travelling abroad with the intent to commit a terrorist offence and the funding of such travels.

After this, measures will be taken to lay down provisions for annulling the Finnish citizenship of the people with dual citizenship who have participated in any terrorist activity.

A preliminary study on the project was launched in autumn 2017. The study examined the relevant international treaties and case law and made international comparisons.

During the course of the study, experts from the Ministry of Justice were consulted.

The project runs from January 30, 2018 to December 31, 2018, the press release added.