Belarus’ citizenship applicants to pledge patriotism

July 25, BPN. Applicants for Belarusian citizenship must take an oath to be patriots of Belarus, prescribes Alaksandar Łukašenka’s edict dated July 21.

Applicants must pledge to “protect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Belarus, respect traditions and state symbols and “preserve the historical memory of the heroic past of the Belarusian people,” his press office reported citing the oath.

The decree also outlines procedures for depriving Belarusians of their citizenship for activities that authorities deem extremist or harmful to state interests.

Over 2,300 were granted Belarusian citizenship in the first half of 2023, according to migration authorities.

Belarusians may be stripped of citizenship acquired by birth by a court sentence, Alaksiej Biahun, head of the interior ministry’s citizenship department, told journalists in early July.

Persons convicted on extremism charges must return to Belarus and serve their sentence to retain their citizenship, he noted.

Under new citizenship legislation, opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja, former cabinet minister Pavieł Łatuška and other prominent democratic figures, whom the authorities deem extremist and prosecute in absentia, may be left without passports.

Article 10 of the Constitution provides that no one can be stripped of citizenship or of the right to change it. It says that the termination of citizenship must be carried out in line with the law. Authorities use the term the “loss of citizenship” clause to circumvent the constitutional ban on the deprivation of citizenship.