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Egypt's official newspaper published a decision announcing that the government has revoked the citizenship of three citizens as punishment for protesting outside the Egyptian diplomatic mission in New York last month.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly issued the decision Monday, stripping Akram Ahmed al-Sammak and his sons, Yassin and Ali, of their Egyptian citizenship.
The decision follows the repercussions of a video that circulated online in August, showing two protesters outside the Egyptian Mission to the United Nations in New York being forcibly dragged inside and assaulted by staff members.
The protesters were demonstrating outside the building, calling for the reopening of Egypt’s Rafah border crossing and the passage of aid into Gaza.
One of the two detainees was reportedly a minor, which drew scathing criticism over the treatment meted out toward the protesters.
Social media users linked the detention to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty's phone call leaked earlier. In the leak, he incites embassy officials to use violence against any protesters outside Egyptian embassies worldwide.
The official statement declares that the decision came as a result of having another nationality without prior Egyptian approval, which violates Egyptian law.
Observers have linked the citizenship revocation to the family’s peaceful protest outside the embassy, noting that the decision came shortly afterward.
The decision has sparked reactions among legal and human rights circles, who accused the government of failing to comply with international laws that prohibit rendering individuals stateless, particularly if another nationality has not been officially acquired.
Publishing the decision in the official newspaper grants it final legal authority, meaning Akram al-Sammak and his sons are officially stripped of their Egyptian citizenship, despite no confirmation that they have obtained American nationality, even though they have lived in the United States for years.
The father of the two sons, Yassin (22) and Ali (15), on the TV program expressed surprise at the revocation decision based on the law regarding acquiring another nationality without prior permission, questioning why the government invoked this law now and whether they had obtained that nationality at the time.
The father stressed that the decision reflects a disregard for Egyptian law and the constitution.
Sammak said, “We are ruled by a tyrant. Even young children can scare the Egyptian regime enough to have their citizenship revoked.”
Sammak added that his children were simply exercising their right to express their opinion, yet they were attacked, beaten, and kidnapped inside the embassy and assaulted with iron rods, resulting in injuries to their bodies.
“Egyptian citizenship is not a gift from anyone, and it is not President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s property to grant or revoke,” said Sammak.
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