Revoked citizenships to be reinstated soon

National Assembly speaker Marzouq AlGhanem said yesterday he was optimistic of imminent solutions to a number of issues amid moves by lawmakers to find an amicable deal for the citizenships revoked by the government over two years ago. Ghanem told reporters in a brief statement that MPs have made several moves and said that he is optimistic that such efforts will result in solutions very soon. He did not elaborate, but said that problems can be resolved through dialogue and understanding and not through threats and escalation.

Ghanem’s statements came as a number of opposition lawmakers said that efforts were underway to bring back Saad Al-Ajmi, an opposition activist, who was deported to Saudi Arabia soon after his citizenship was revoked in mid-2014. Activists on social media and former MPs said that Ajmi, the former spokesman of the opposition Popular Action Movement, was expected to return today.

Ajmi however denied on his Twitter account that he has received any intimation to repatriate him to the country after he was deported in April 2015. Ajmi thanked all those who made any effort to resolve his ordeal. He was one of several dozen opposition activists and their relatives who had their citizenships revoked as part of a crackdown on the opposition.

Pro-government MP Saadoun Hammad said a number of lawmakers met with HH the Amir yesterday and discussed returning the revoked citizenships. He said the lawmakers felt “positive signs” from the Amir. He provided no further details. Opposition MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said meetings have been held between lawmakers and the government over the revoked citizenships and that a number of ideas and proposals have been discussed.

He praised the efforts of the Assembly speaker and the prime minister, adding that the discussions are serious and urged MPs against using constitutional tools at this time, because these issues cannot be resolved through threats. Dallal said the coming few days will be decisive for the issue, adding that returning the revoked citizenships and providing the judiciary the right to handle nationality cases are at the top of lawmakers’ priorities. A draft law stipulating to allow the judiciary to look into citizenship issues is expected to be debated by the Assembly tomorrow or on Wednesday amid reports that the government is objecting to the key amendment.

Meanwhile, Shiite MP Khaled Al-Shatti called for returning the citizenship of a number of Shiites whose nationalities were revoked in the 1980s as part of the ongoing debate about returning revoked citizenships.