Eritrean woman wins Swiss citizenship battle over youth prank
A young Eritrean woman has successfully challenged a decision to deny her Swiss citizenship. The Aargau Administrative Court ruled in her favour after the Naturalization Commission rejected her application over a minor youth offense.
The case centred on whether a single conviction should block her path to naturalization, even years after the incident.
The woman had been denied citizenship by the Naturalization Commission of the Grand Council (EBK). Their decision relied on a past conviction for a minor offense—an incident involving throwing eggs at a house or a doorbell-ditch prank. The court found that this single, non-serious act did not justify an automatic rejection.
The offense occurred more than a year before the EBK's ruling. The court determined that using this isolated incident as grounds for denial was arbitrary. As a result, the administrative judges overturned the commission's decision.
The ruling grants the woman cantonal and municipal citizenship. However, final approval still depends on federal naturalization procedures.
The court's decision sets a precedent on how minor youth offenses are considered in naturalization cases. It confirms that a single, non-serious conviction should not automatically disqualify an applicant. The woman's application will now proceed to the next stage of the process.
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