Wider possibilities approved for revoking Dutch citizenship

The Dutch Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that allows the revoking of Dutch citizenship for terrorist offenses in more situations.

The new law, put forward by security and justice minister Ard van der Steur, broadens the possibilities under which Dutch citizenship can be revoked, for example, after a criminal conviction for giving or attending terrorist training. The new regulations should come into force before April 1. Previously, revoking Dutch citizenship was already possible after guilty sentences for other terrorist crimes.

According to the justice ministry, Dutch nationality cannot in any way facilitate committing terrorist crimes in a foreign country or preparing people to commit terrorist offenses. Whoever turns against the Dutch state in this way loses his right to Dutch citizenship.

These measures are needed because the nature of involvement in terrorist crimes has changed, Van Der Steur said in February, when the Dutch Senate held a debate about the bill.

He argued the law was about people who did not wish to accept the fundamentals of Dutch society. The nature of the offense is so serious that it is logical to also divest the Dutch citizenship in case of preparatory acts, because Dutch citizenship brings rights with it, such as the freedom to travel within the Schengen zone, he said.

However, Dutch citizenship can only be revoked if the convicted person has another nationality. Otherwise, it would lead to statelessness, which is not allowed according to international treaties. Only after a conviction is final can someone's Dutch citizenship be taken away, but the person can still challenge this decision in court. Endit