Belgium to revoke citizenship for serious crimes
The federal government of Belgium has approved a bill that would allow the state to revoke citizenship from anyone convicted of a serious crime, including homicide or sexual assault. The federal Chamber of Representatives approved the expansion of a law that originally applied to terrorism, after a proposal from federal Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden.
A convicted criminal must have been sentenced to at least five years in prison to be considered eligible to have their citizenship revoked. It would also not be applied automatically, being decided on a case-by-case basis, except for terrorists with dual nationality who will now have their citizenship automatically revoked.
The new law, Verlinden says, is a “powerful message” that “anyone guilty of grave crimes that undermine the foundations of our society, can lose his or her Belgian citizenship.”
The Chamber in Belgium also approved a bill submitted last year by Verlinden to toughen sentences for traffic accidents that result in death. It will now be referred to as vehicular manslaughter, or verkeersdoodslag, rather than “causing a deadly traffic accident.”
The sentence has also been made stricter, with a maximum of 10 years in prison, up from five, and fines increasing from a maximum of €10,000, up to €16,000 for repeat offenders or anyone driving in Belgium under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for the latest news and expert opinions.
Follow us on:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!
We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!
