Turkey moves to strip terrorists and their supporters of citizenship

Turkey's justice minister says the government will work on a regulation that would allow authorities to strip Turks deemed to be supporting terrorism of their Turkish citizenship.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag's comments on Wednesday came a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for such a measure to strengthen Turkey's fight against terrorism.

Bozdag said: "The president's statement foresees a new regulation. Of course, the necessary work will begin."

Erdogan has also called for a new legal definition of terrorism and terrorist to include activists or journalists who voice support of terror groups, increasing concerns over free speech in Turkey, where academics were recently imprisoned for speaking out against Turkey's renewed conflict with Kurdish rebels.

• Istanbul suicide bomber was Turkish citizen, linked to ISIS
• Istanbul soccer match cancelled over possible bomb threat

Although the president's role is largely ceremonial, Erdogan often intervenes in the running of government.

Meanwhile in Canada, the new Liberal government is working toward scrapping legislation at home that allows Ottawa to revoke the citizenship of Canadians convicted of terrorism and other offences.

Legislation last year allowed Canadians who held dual nationalities to be stripped of their Canadian citizenship if they were found guilty of terrorism, treason or spying offences.