Cairo accused of targeting opposition with nationality laws

Amendments to Egypt’s Nationality Law have left many citizens fearing that they will have their passports revoked. There are now seven cases in which the Egyptian nationality can be revoked. A report on the Middle East Online site notes that these include when it is obtained illegally or when a citizen joins a banned group in Egypt or abroad. Activists warn that this allows the ‘coup’ government to revoke the citizenship of all opposition members and those who have spent time in prison on trumped-up charges. Critics have warned that the amendments are unconstitutional and violate the UN Convention on the Prohibition of Statelessness which was signed by Egypt in The Hague.