A former British police officer has become the first British-born person ever to be stripped of his citizenship due to alleged connections to Russia. The information comes from The Telegraph, which reports on a case that raises questions about legal certainty, proportionality – and a growing political hysteria surrounding anything related to Russia.
According to The Telegraph, the case concerns former police officer Mark Bullen, who, after over a decade in the police force, has now had his British citizenship revoked.
The decision was made by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, citing “national security.” Mahmood is a second-generation immigrant from Pakistan and identifies as Muslim. Mark Bullen is an ethnic Englishman who grew up in north London.
READ ALSO: Report: White Britons in the Minority in 40 Years
Revoking citizenship is, as the newspaper repeatedly emphasizes, a measure usually reserved for terrorists or serious criminals – not for people born in the country.
Bullen is married to a Russian woman and has four children with her. He has lived in Russia for several years but has regularly traveled back to the UK to visit relatives. According to the British newspaper, he is said to have learned Russian and has worked as head of social media for the football club Zenit St. Petersburg.
The Telegraph describes how Bullen, during his time as a police officer in the UK, participated in exchanges with Russian police colleagues and visited St. Petersburg. He has reportedly also attended such police exchanges in the USA, Ukraine, Italy, and France.
Stopped by Anti-Terror Police
Over the years, Bullen has expressed positive views about Russia and criticized Ukraine on social media. In 2024, he was stopped at Luton Airport outside London by anti-terror police and interrogated for several hours on suspicion of links to “hostile state activity.”
Among other things, he was asked about the 2018 Salisbury poisoning case, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were attacked with a nerve agent of the Novichok type, leading to a major international investigation and diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia.
“What do you know about Skripal? What do you know about Salisbury?” asked the anti-terror police.
“Nothing,” Bullen replied.
“Who in the Russian government do you know?” the anti-terror police asked.
“No one,” Bullen is reported to have answered, according to The Telegraph.
Alleged Evidence Classified
Despite this, he was never arrested for anything, and no charges were brought. The alleged evidence against him is, however, classified. In the decision that Bullen himself has published, Mahmood writes that the material cannot be made public “for reasons of national security.”
In a statement to The Sun, where Bullen commented on the Home Office decision, he criticized the lack of formal legal procedure.
READ ALSO: British Army Chief Wants to Prepare the Country for a New World War
“Where is the legal certainty in this case?” he asked, continuing:
“If I am guilty, put me before a court and let a judge and jury decide my fate. The special police have interrogated me on two separate occasions and followed me around London disguised as dog walkers for several days in a row, so either I am innocent, or they are incompetent – that’s for you to decide.”
Unusual Measure Raises Questions
As The Telegraph points out, revoking citizenship is used very restrictively and almost exclusively in cases related to terrorism, such as the high-profile case of ISIS woman Shamima Begum.
The fact that the measure is now being used against a British-born person – without concrete criminal charges and even less evidence for such – makes the case unique.
A Climate of Suspicion
The case comes as relations between the UK and Russia have severely deteriorated after the invasion. Statements from British politicians and security officials about Russian influence and various threats have contributed to a more heated rhetoric, where even weak or indirect connections in some cases may be seen as security risks – regardless of guilt.
The fact that Bullen, who for most of his life has had a clear interest in Russia – including his first trip there as an 18-year-old in 1999 – as well as a strong cultural and historical engagement with the country, family ties, and Russian citizenship, may have been deemed sufficient grounds for revoking his British citizenship.
Parallels to Sweden
Similar tendencies have also been noted in Sweden. A case that attracted much attention concerned a female police officer with a Russian background, whose loyalty was questioned by colleagues after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
READ MORE: Police Officer with Russian Background Fired – “Loyalty” Questioned
Instead of handling the issue internally, some of her colleagues turned to media outlets such as Expressen and Nya Wermlands-Tidningen, where they made accusations that she was a “security risk” and a “pro-Putin police officer.”
Although allegations of official misconduct did not lead to any formal process and were later dropped, it is reported that the employer encouraged her to leave her position after 15 years with the authority. The case was reported to the Parliamentary Ombudsman (JO), who chose not to take any action in the matter.
ALSO READ: Police Officer with Russian Background Forced Out by Expressen – No Action from JO