Australian government overturns decision to cancel citizenship of man on death row in Iraq

Home affairs tells Ahmad Merhi's lawyer the law used to strip him of Australian citizenship was invalid with almost 20 other cancellations also voided

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The Department of Home Affairs has overturned a decision to cancel the citizenship of a former Sydney man on death row in Iraq after it ruled the law used to strip him of his Australian citizenship was invalid.

Guardian Australia revealed in June that lawyers for Ahmad Merhi and his family believed the 2018 decision to cancel his citizenship after he had been sentenced to death by hanging was unlawful, and they appealed on his behalf to the Albanese government.

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