Natural Born Liberians with Foreign Citizenships Still Regarded as Liberians, Entitled to Liberian Passport
Published: 14/Oct/2021
Source: Front Page Africa (Monrovia)
By Lennart Dodoo
MONROVIA – Natural born Liberians who have taken on other citizenships are still entitled to all rights reserved to Liberians and a Liberian passport – hence a green light to dual citizenship.
FrontPage Africa has obtained a September 22, 2021 communication from the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General, Cllr. Frank Muah Dean, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs informing him that the Supreme Court of Liberia has ruled as unconstitutional for a citizen of Liberia who for whatsoever reason became a citizen of another country to be automatically stripped off his/her Liberian citizenship without due process.
Cllr. Dean wrote:
Dear Hon. Kemeyah:
We present compliments and have the honor to inform you that the Supreme Court of Liberia, pursuant to a Ruling and Judgement delivered on December 23, 2019, declared Sections 22.1 and 22.2 of the Aliens and Nationality Law title 4 of the Liberian Code of Law Revised, approved May 15,1973 and published, unconstitutional, to the extent that it does not provide for due process before the forfeiture of Liberian citizenship.
You will please note that sections 22.1 and 22.2, cited above, apply to Liberian Citizens by birth, who obtained naturalization in a foreign country. Henceforth, Liberian citizens who undertake any one or more of the acts described in Section 22.1 do not, ipso facto, lose Liberian citizenship, without the institution of a proceeding to nullify or cancel such citizenship. The automatic forfeiture of Liberian citizenship, without resort to any judicial proceeding to nullify or cancel same, is declaled unconstitutional, void and null.
Please ensure that the implementers of the Revised Regulations to Govern the Administration and Issuance of Liberian Passports take due note.
With kind regards.
Cllr. Frank Musa Dean
Minister of Justice/Attorney General
FrontPageAfrica contacted the Minister Counselor for Press and Public Affairs at the Liberian Embassy in Washington, Mr. Al-Jerome Anastas Chede, in inquire how Liberians in the United States were responding to the new mandate, he, however, said though he had seen the communication from the Minister of Justice, he would rather the Ministry of Foreign Affairs speak to the matter.