A former Nauru MP and his family were left with no option but to sever links with Nauru because of the behaviour of the government there, according to the MP's lawyer.
Roland Kun is now in Wellington after becoming a New Zealand citizen and fleeing Nauru at the weekend.
Mr Kun had his passport seized in May last year and faced threats of charges from the government over his alleged involvement in a government protest.
Roland Kun and his family in Wellington Photo: Supplied
But he applied for a New Zealand passport seven months ago and it came through late last month allowing him to leave.
His New Zealand lawyer, Claudia Geiringer, said settling in New Zealand had been the family's intention for some time.
"They had already effectively had to leave Nauru because Katy, his wife, was kicked out of the country by the government, although she entitled by right in the Constitution to Nauruan citizenship, her application for citizenship, made two years ago or longer, has never been determined."
