After 16 years in Norway, Mahad Mahamud’s Norwegian citizenship was revoked. Oslo District Court has established that it was correct to do so. Today, the appeal will begin.
When Mahad Mahamud came to Norway in 2000 he declared to be 14 years old and a Somali citizen. After being refused asylum, he was granted temporary residence and in 2008 Norwegian citizenship.
The young man graduated as a bio engineer and got work at Ullevål Hospital, but in 2013, the Immigration Commission (UNE) received a tip that he had lied to the Norwegian authorities.
The police were informed and an investigation was initiated. Three years later, UNE concluded that the 29-year-old bio engineer did not come from Somalia.
Lost everything
Mahamud lost both his citizenship and his job, and went to court to change UNE’s decision.
The Oslo District Court, however, concluded that Mahmud’s Somali birth certificate was falsified that he probably was between 18 and 20 years when he arrived to Norway and that he and his family came from Djibouti.
That, despite the lack of schooling, he wrote and spoke fluent French, which is official language in Djibouti and not in Somalia, was also pointed out in the district court.
Mahamud’s family applied for family reunification in 2002, but was refused. In the interview with the father, which was submitted to the district court, he says that Mahad has always lived with him in Djibouti.
– Broke confidence
The District Court concluded that UNE’s decision to suspend Mahamud citizenship was correct.
“With his falsified background, he has fundamentally broken the confidence that Norwegian immigration authorities must largely base their decisions on, strikes the district court.
The verdict was appealed and on 15 October, the appeal case is brought before Borgarting Court of Appeal.
– No basis
The state had no grounds for depriving Mahamud of his Norwegian citizenship, argued lawyer Arild Humlen.
“UNE is wrong when it assumes that he has given false information about origin and original nationality, which is clearly substantiated,” Humlen told NTB.
– Mahad maintains his explanation of birthplace and affiliation with Somalia, he emphasizes.
Firm
Section chief Georg Magne Rønnevig of UNE maintains that the decision to revoke Mahamud citizenship was correct.
“The police, UDI, UNE and the district court have found that he has given false information about who he is and where he comes from. Citizenship was given on the wrong premises, and we will see that again in the court of law,” he says to NTB.
“There is no new information in the case that changes the UNE conclusion,” says Rønnevig.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
