Courts / Ireland / Report

Decision to be made on passport for Irish-born son of alleged ISIS fighter

Date
2020-06-15
Stage
Hearing Or Decision

Summary

The High Court case concerning the passport renewal of Abdul Malik Bekmirzaev, an Irish‑born seven‑year‑old boy now in Belarus with his mother, has been resolved. The court was told that a decision will be made by the Department of Foreign Affairs on whether to renew the boy's passport. The boy and his mother, Iryna Paltarzhytskaya, were deported to Belarus from a Turkish refugee camp in January after the boy's father, Alexandr Bekmirzaev, left Ireland and is believed to have fought for ISIS in Syria. The boy's Irish passport was confiscated by Turkish authorities and an application to renew it was made in February, but no decision had been taken. High Court judicial review proceedings were launched in May against the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Justice. The boy sought orders requiring the Minister for Foreign Affairs to issue a new passport or to determine the application.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Decision to be made on passport for Irish-born son of alleged ISIS fighter. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

Why: In the proceedings, it was argued that the boy's passport was being withheld because the Minister for Justice intends to revoke Alexandr Bekmirzaev's Irish citizenship This was because the Department of Justice believes that a 2001 marriage by Mr Bekmirzaev to a British national was one of convenience. CNI source report

Case subjects

Abdul Malik Bekmirzaev

Applicant

Outcome: The issue over who pays the legal costs in the action was adjourned to a date later this month.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • High Court

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report

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