RAMADAN v. MALTA JUDGMENT
7
(2) Subject to the provisions of this article, the Minister may by order deprive of his
Maltese citizenship any citizen of Malta who is such by registration or by
naturalisation if he is satisfied that the citizen (a) has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards the
President or the Government of Malta; or
(b) has, during any war in which Malta was engaged unlawfully traded or
communicated with an enemy or been engaged in or associated with any business that
was to his knowledge carried on in such a manner as to assist an enemy in that war; or
(c) has, within seven years after becoming naturalised, or being registered as a
citizen of Malta, been sentenced in any country to a punishment restrictive of personal
liberty for a term of not less than twelve months; or
(d) has been ordinarily resident in foreign countries for a continuous period of seven
years and during that period has neither (i) been at any time in the service of the Republic or of an international organisation
of which the Government of Malta was a member; or
(ii) given notice in writing to the Minister of his intention to retain citizenship of
Malta.
(3) The Minister shall not deprive a person of citizenship under this article unless he
is satisfied that it is not conducive to the public good that that person should continue
to be a citizen of Malta and, in the case referred to in subarticle (2)(c), it appears to
him that that person would not thereupon become stateless.
(4) Before making an order under this article, the Minister shall give the person
against whom the order is proposed to be made notice in writing informing him of the
ground on which it is proposed to be made and of his right to an inquiry under this
article; and if that person applies in the prescribed manner for an inquiry, the Minister
shall refer the case to a committee of inquiry consisting of a chairman, being a person
possessing judicial experience, appointed by the Minister and of such other members
appointed by the Minister as he thinks proper.
(5) The Minister may make rules for the practice and procedure to be followed in
connection with a committee of inquiry appointed under this article, and such rules
may, in particular, provide for conferring on any such committee any powers, rights or
privileges of any court, and for enabling any powers so conferred to be exercised by
one or more members of the committee.”
Article 15
“(1) A citizen of Malta who is deprived of his citizenship by an order of the Minister
under article 14 shall, upon the making of the order, cease to be a citizen of Malta.”
Article 19
“The Minister shall not be required to assign any reason for the grant or refusal of
any application under this Act and the decision of the Minister on any such
application shall not be subject to appeal to or review in any court.”
Article 27
“(1) The acquisition or retention of Maltese citizenship by any person under the
Constitution of Malta or any other law, prior to the enactment of the Maltese