Germany is revoking the citizenship of a recently naturalised man of Syrian background in Berlin after he allegedly praised Hamas on Instagram one day after receiving his German passport.
According to reports, he grew up in Berlin from early childhood, obtained German citizenship under the 2024 naturalisation rules and then posted a picture of two Hamas fighters with a Palestine flag and the caption “Heroes of Palestine” with a green heart. Security services flagged the post, and the Berlin immigration authority treated it as evidence that he had violated the declaration he had just signed; a withdrawal notice was issued and sent to his lawyer. If the decision becomes final, he will lose his German citizenship and the authorities would then have to decide in a separate procedure whether he can remain in Germany at all.
Under §35 of the German Nationality Act (StAG), citizenship can be revoked for up to ten years if it was obtained through deception. Under §10(1), applicants must declare that they support the protection of Jewish life, a commitment that administrative practice understands as including Israel’s existence.
The whole practice of taking passport away for misdemeanors seems very fucked up. He did a crime put him in a jail, he’s a citizen ffs. Don’t do this sleazy “oh but he lied on his application where he promised he’s not a criminal!” bullshit.
Germany is kind of a mess huh.
It amazed me that there was specific wording relating to harm of a specific group. You have to be pretty desperate to not be able to cover basic human rights protections for all groups. Protections can be applied by stating any speach that is threatening to another party is a basis for loss of citizenship. The problem here is that any such law should be backed by “domestic” law that assures punishment for similar threats to person. I don’t know the extent of those in Germany, but it is the only fair way to proceed.
There isn’t, the German government simply chooses to interpret “Jewish people” as “Israel” using the IHRA definition of antisemitism which is created by Israel.
My point is even including Jewish people specifically is problematic.
