By Sebastian Kohn Over the last couple of decades, in many places around the world, the manipulation of citizenship laws for political purposes has been a popular way of excluding opponents and silencing critics. Even though international law provides strong protections against arbitrary deprivation of nationality, many governments have resorted to the practice, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Governments in countries like Tanzania, Botswana and Swaziland have on various occasions deprived political opponents and high profile media figures of nationality in attempts to get rid of their critical voices. And in Ivory Coast, the annulment of incumbent president Alassane Outtara\u2019s nationality certificate in 1999 contributed to years of civil war. Last week the AFP reported that Robert Chiseke from the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), the main Zambian opposition party, has been arrested for allegedly \u201cfaking his nationality.\u201d<\/p>\n