Volkswacht Bodensee - Egypt Revokes Citizenship of Brothers Anas and Tarek Habib Over Unapproved Foreign Nationality

Egypt has revoked the citizenship of brothers Anas and Tarek Habib after they acquired a foreign nationality without obtaining prior government approval, according to two Cabinet decisions published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, November 12.

The decisions, signed by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, were issued on November 1 and November 2 following a recommendation by the Minister of Interior and subsequent Cabinet approval. The revocations are grounded in Egypt’s Nationality Law No. 26 of 1975, which mandates that Egyptian citizens must secure permission from the Minister of Interior before acquiring another nationality. Failure to do so allows the state to revoke citizenship through a Cabinet decree.

Decision No. 90 of 2026 specifically revoked the citizenship of Tarek Ibrahim Abdel-Rahman Habib, who was born in Beheira Governorate in September 1994. Decision No. 93 applied to his brother, Anas Ibrahim Abdel-Rahman Mohamed Habib, who was born in Saudi Arabia in July 1998. The official documents did not specify which foreign nationality the brothers had acquired.

The legal action follows a period of heightened diplomatic friction involving Anas Habib, who is based in the Netherlands. In July 2025, Anas Habib drew international attention by filming himself placing a padlock on the gates of the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague. The act was part of broader demonstrations outside Egyptian diplomatic missions across Europe, where protesters urged Egypt to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

Egyptian authorities condemned these incidents, raising concerns regarding the security of their diplomatic missions abroad. In August 2025, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp expressed regret over an attack on the Egyptian Embassy during a phone call with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, pledging additional measures to protect the mission.

Tensions resurfaced in October 2026 when Dutch authorities detained Ahmed Nasser, deputy head of the Union of Egyptian Youth Abroad, on suspicion of threatening Anas Habib. This detention occurred after Anas filmed himself outside the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague hurling insults at staff members while Dutch police stood by. Following Nasser’s detention, demonstrators gathered outside the Dutch Embassy in Cairo demanding his release.

The Dutch Embassy subsequently suspended public services on October 22 before resuming full consular operations on November 4. While the citizenship decisions were issued shortly before their publication on November 12, the government cited the unauthorized acquisition of foreign nationality as the legal basis for the revocations, rather than the embassy incidents.

The move highlights the Egyptian state's strict enforcement of nationality laws amidst ongoing regional diplomatic challenges. The brothers remain subjects of international scrutiny due to their public activism and the subsequent diplomatic fallout between Cairo and The Hague.

S.Spengler--VB