A/HRC/10/34 page 13 citizenship as a requirement for adopting the nationality of another State. However, no person shall be deprived of their citizenship if, as a result, they become stateless. The exception to this general principle refers to cases in which some people received Ukrainian citizenship through fraud. Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 46. The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela stated that articles 32 and 42 of the Constitution regulated issues of nationality in Venezuela. The Law on Nationality and Citizenship established a legal regime that renders statelessness in Venezuela unlikely. The Government indicated that Venezuelan nationals do not lose their citizenship when they acquire the nationality of another State, except in cases of voluntary renunciation of Venezuelan citizenship. It is established that, in order to avoid situations of statelessness, renunciation of nationality by Venezuelan nationals by birth is valid only when the persons concerned have opted for or wish to adopt a foreign nationality. Persons who have renounced their Venezuelan nationality may recover it if they establish legal residency in Venezuela for a period of at least two years. Venezuelan nationals by birth may not be deprived of their nationality, nor may their nationality be suspended or limited by State authorities. 47. The Government stated that naturalized Venezuelans may not be deprived of their nationality except on the basis of a judicial decision, in conformity with article 35 of the Constitution and article 48 of the Law on Nationality and Citizenship. Such a declaration may occur in cases where the relationship of loyalty and fidelity to the State has been broken. The Law also provides that naturalized Venezuelans may retain their original nationality. II. REPLIES RECEIVED FROM INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 48. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that it is a general principle of international law that State discretion on nationality matters is limited by international law and in particular obligations under international human rights law. The General Assembly, in its resolution 50/152, specifically recognizes the fundamental nature of the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality. An explicit and general prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality can be found in numerous international instruments.1 Specific 1 Art. 8, para. 1, Convention on the Rights of the Child; art. 4 (c) of the 1997 European Convention of Nationality, art. 20 (3) of the 1969 American Convention on Human Rights; art. 29 of the 2004 Revised Arab Charter on Human Rights; and art. 24 (2) of the 1995 Commonwealth of Independent States Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; art. 16 of the Draft Articles on Nationality of Natural Persons in relation to the Succession of States.