German Authorities Revoke Citizenship of Newly Naturalizedโ Man Following Pro-Hamas Post
Berlin – German โฃauthorities have revoked the citizenship of a man recently naturalized after he publicly expressed support for Hamas fighters on socialโ media,raising questions about the vetting process for new citizens and the government’s commitment to combating antisemitism. The case highlights a growing concern over potential security risks associated with naturalization and underscores the legal mechanisms inโฃ place to reverse the process under specific circumstances.
Just one day after receiving German citizenship, the individual posted an image onโค Instagram depicting two Hamas militants alongside a Palestinian flag, captioning it “Heros of โPalestine” with a green heart emoji. He had also reportedly participated in multiple anti-Israel demonstrations following the October 7, 2023 attacks, and was previously escortedโ by police from thoseโค events. โคThese โactions prompted authorities โto reassess โขhis commitment to the principles required for naturalization.
According to Germany’s Citizenship Act (paragraph 11), โapplicants undergo rigorousโ screening โby agencies like the Verfassungsschutz (domestic intelligenceโ service) to determine โif they have a criminalโค record and affirm allegiance to Germany’s free democratic basic order and the protection โofโฃ Jewish life. A declaration of loyalty โis also required. Officials now believe the man’s actions constitute a false statement in his request.
German law,โค revised in 2009 and โคamended in 2019, allows for the revocation ofโ naturalization if obtained through deception.The timeframe for revocation was extended from five to โคten years in 2019. The Federal Office of Governance reports 1,228 casesโ of revoked citizenshipโ since 2015, as of September 24, 2025.
Beyond expressing support for terrorist organizations, other grounds for revoking citizenship โคinclude concealing criminal proceedings, submitting falsified language certificates, engaging in fraudulent behavior, bribery, or making threats. The case serves as a stark reminder of the conditions under which naturalization โคcan be reversed and theโค ongoing scrutiny faced by new citizens.
