Minister Yermekbayev comments on citizenship deprivation for terrorism

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Minister of Religious Affairs and Civil Society of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev commented on changes to the legislation providing for the citizenship depriving for dangerous crimes, Kazinform reports with reference to the Ministry's press service.

During the inter-regional seminar on religion, the Minister said that President Nazarbayev signed the Law "On Amendments and Additions to Some Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Issues of Their Adaptation to the Constitution", according to which for terrorist and other particularly serious crimes Kazakhstanis may be deprived of citizenship.

It was noted that today more than 500 Kazakh citizens live in terrorists' camps abroad.

According to the Minister, today things for terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq are deteriorating and they are looking for ways of retreat, including returning to the places of their former residence.

Mr. Yermekbayev notes that these individuals with combat experience and criminal experience may return home with criminal intentions, including carrying out terrorist attacks.

"We are talking about acts of terrorism, creating and leading terrorist groups, participation in their activities, as well as the infliction of grave harm to national and vital interests of the country. Individuals can be deprived of their citizenship by courts and in exceptional cases on the basis of a full study of the case circumstances, the severity of the acts committed and the consequences that have occurred," Nurlan Yermekbayev said.

The Minister also added that in accordance with legislation, those who leave the country to join terrorist organizations are treated as traitors to the Motherland.