Today.Az » Politics » Hiding second citizenship becomes criminal action in Azerbaijan
31 May 2014 [08:45] - Today.Az


Azerbaijan's parliament (Milli Majlis) has approved amendments to the "Law on the Citizenship of Azerbaijani Republic", according to which a criminal liability is put on concealment of a second citizenship.

Article 10 "Non-recognition of an Azerbaijani citizen's belonging to the citizenship of a foreign country" of the law is given in the new version. The new version is as follows: "In case of dual citizenship ( the citizenship of another ( other ) countries , along with the citizenship of Azerbaijan), belonging to a citizenship of a foreign country is not recognized, except for the cases set in Azerbaijan's international treaties or those permitted in accordance with paragraph 32, Article 109 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan. An Azerbaijani citizen, accepting the citizenship of a foreign country, within one month must notify the appropriate body of Azerbaijan in a written form. Otherwise, this person is liable in the manner prescribed by the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, according to the amendments.

The fourth paragraph was amended in the fifth article of the law. Belonging to the citizenship of Azerbaijan is determined by the relevant executive body. This body also approves the rules for determining being a citizen of Azerbaijan.

Children born in Azerbaijan with both parents being foreigners, also those with one parent being foreigner and the other a stateless person, as well as the children with both parents being stateless persons, are not considered Azerbaijani citizens, according to the amendments.

The amendments also concerned the article 18 on forfeiting citizenship of the Azerbaijan Republic. Thus, taking into account the provisions of the Convention 'On the Reduction of Statelessness', dated August 30, 1961, the main reasons for forfeiting the Azerbaijani citizenship are:

- citizen of Azerbaijan Republic voluntarily obtains citizenship of other country;

- citizen of Azerbaijan Republic voluntarily serves at state bodies or municipalities, armed forces or other armed units of a foreign country;

- behavior of Azerbaijani citizen causes serious damage to the state security;

- while acquiring the citizenship of the Azerbaijan Republic, a person has deliberately falsified the data necessary to acquire the citizenship, or submitted a falsified document.

The amendments to the second part of the Article 10 and the provisions of the Article 18 do not apply to the persons who have acquired the citizenship of other country before the entry into force of this law.


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