TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - University of Indonesia (UI) international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana explained that Indonesian citizens fleeing the country to join the now-defunct terrorist group ISIS has automatically lost their citizenship.

The professor argues that the Indonesian law is able to deprive a person’s citizenship if the person joins a foreign entity’s military.

Focusing on Law on citizenship’s Article 23 (d), said Hikmahanto, lawmakers were detailed in its explanation which is why the term “state” was not used and replaced by “joining a foreign military entity,” he elaborates.

He strengthened his argument by citing Article 31 (1) on how a person obtains citizenship. His argument asserts that Indonesian citizens joining ISIS will lose their citizenship because the terrorist group is considered defiance from an official state government, especially considering the group’s intention to topple an official government.

“Which is why Indonesian citizens joining the ISIS military squad will automatically lose their citizenship,” said international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana.

Furthermore, he understands why some people may consider ISIS as an official country, which he said is arguable as he cites the case where Israel is acknowledged as a state by the United States but is not acknowledged by Indonesia.

“This begs the question. Imagine having an Indonesian citizen joining the Israel defense forces (IDF), would their citizenship be revoked? This is if we consider Israel not an official country from the eyes of Indonesia,” he rhetorically asked.

FIKRI ARIGI