Bill to strip opponents of citizenship already in parliament; amnesty bill not yet submitted

September 19, BPN. The House of Representatives has already received a bill on citizenship, said Uładzimir Andrejčanka, speaker of the lower house, referring to legislation that would enable authorities to strip opponents of Belarusian citizenship.

He said that the interior ministry has not yet submitted the much-discussed amnesty bill.

The legislation that would allow courts to strip Belarusians of their citizenship targets those convicted of extremism or harming the state interests. Interior ministry suggested that individuals stripped of Belarusian citizenship should be banned from traveling to Belarus for up to 30 years.

Officials also discussed a possible amnesty program for up to 8,000 people, including participants in mass rallies. It was announced ahead of National Unity Day, September 17.