Emirati citizenship case ruling set for May 31

Abu Dhabi: A ruling will be issued on May 31 in the case of seven Emiratis stripped of citizenship last year, decided the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of First Instance on Wednesday.

Presided over by judge Waleed Al Ammari, the court also gave a week's time to the defence lawyer to submit any final memorandum before a ruling is issued.

In December, the UAE revoked their citizenship on grounds the seven posed a threat to national security.

The seven, who had been detained for refusing to seek alternative citizenship, did not attend the hearing because it is an administrative case, which makes it mandatory for litigants to appear in court only in criminal lawsuits, Dr Mohammad Al Rokn, a lawyer defending the seven told Gulf News.

Decrees

Sara Al Shamsi, representing the Ministry of Interior, yesterday submitted to the court the decrees which stripped the seven men of their citizenship.

"The case will take a different turn after the Interior Ministry presented these decrees," Dr Al Rokn said following the hearing, but refused to elaborate.

The Interior Ministry's lawyer told the court last month the seven did not follow proper legal procedure to appeal against the decision by the Ministry of Interior.

Al Shamsi said the seven needed to raise complaints within a month from the date of the decision.

"The complaint would have been reviewed and a report presented to the cabinet, which gives a final decision," Al Shamsi said. As the defendants failed to follow the legal course they have no case, the lawyer added.