Global Caselaw Database on Statelessness
The Global Caselaw Database on Statelessness was established to strengthen access to jurisprudence on nationality, statelessness, and related human rights issues. It provides a practical resource for lawyers, academics, advocates, and decision-makers, complementing UNHCR and the Open Society Justice Initiative’s ‘Litigating the Right to Nationality: A Guide for Practitioners’ by bringing together decisions from courts and tribunals across different jurisdictions.
The database covers judgments that address statelessness directly, such as where the applicant is stateless or at risk of statelessness.
The Global Caselaw Database on Statelessness is an evolving tool and new cases will be added incrementally.
Want to offer feedback or suggest a case for inclusion in the Database? Contact our team
This initiative has been made possible with the support of UNHCR, the European Network on Statelessness, and Mallesons.
3 cases found
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Advisory Opinion on Proposed Amendments to the Naturalization Provision of the Constitution of Costa Rica
Date of decision: 19 January 1984
Region/country: Americas / Costa Rica
The Court held: There was no violation of Article 20 (right to nationality) in the proposed amendments (5–1 decision). The preferential treatment based on regional affinity was acceptable(Unanimous) Differentiation between natural-born and naturalized Central Americans/Ibero-Americans is not discriminatory (5–1; Judge Buergenthal dissenting) Language and civic requirements are not discriminatory per se (5–1; Judge Piza dissenting) Gender-specific naturalization through marriage is discriminatory and violates the Convention…
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Qureshi v Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government and Others
Date of decision: 07 November 2019
Region/country: Africa / Kenya
The Court found that the Applicant had a legal right to apply for citizenship and that the Respondents had a corresponding legal duty to register the Applicant if she fulfilled the Constitution’s requirements for citizenship. The Court noted that the Applicant had re-submitted her application to the Second Respondent during the proceedings and that the Respondents had confirmed ‘the citizenship committee will be sitting next…
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Ramadan v Malta
Date of decision: 21 June 2016
Region/country: Europe / Malta
On Admissibility The Court found that the Applicant was not a victim due to a violation of Article 8 regarding the deportation, but he was a victim regarding the revocation of his citizenship. The Court held that ‘an Applicant cannot claim to be the ‘victim’ of a deportation measure if the measure is not enforceable’, which applies ‘in cases where execution of the deportation order…
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This initiative has been made possible with the support of UNHCR, the European Network on Statelessness, and Mallesons.