Former Northern Ireland Lord Chief Justice Criticizes UK Citizenship Stripping of Shamima Begum
Sir Declan Morgan, who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland from 2009 to 2021 and now chairs the Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice, has publicly stated that the UK was wrong to strip Shamima Begum of her citizenship.
Morgan, also a supplementary panel member of the UK Supreme Court, made these remarks during the launch of a new report by the commission, held at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in Westminster. The report, based on a three-year review, strongly criticizes British counter-terrorism legislation.
Key Findings on Citizenship Deprivation
- The report highlights that citizenship deprivation practices disproportionately impact British ethnic minorities.
- The commission recommends reforming these practices to prevent misuse.
Shamima Begum Case
Begum, born in London, traveled to Islamic State-controlled territory at age 15 in 2015 and is currently held in a detention camp in northeast Syria. She was deprived of her British citizenship in 2019 under the previous Conservative government.
Her legal team challenged this decision in the UK Supreme Court, arguing that the authorities failed to prevent her trafficking. However, the court declined to hear the appeal.
“Under our proposals [citizenship] could not be taken from her.”
Morgan emphasized the government should adopt the commission's recommendations regarding citizenship deprivation.
Summary
The commission led by Sir Declan Morgan calls for urgent reforms, noting current citizenship stripping policies unfairly target minorities and fail to provide just outcomes in cases like Begum’s.
Author’s Note
This report challenges existing UK counter-terrorism laws, urging a more equitable and legally sound approach to citizenship deprivation.