Suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations explained

Suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations is the most serious punishment that can be administered to members of the Commonwealth. In the absence of any mechanism by which to expel countries that breach its rules, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) may choose to suspend members from the 'Councils of the Commonwealth', which amounts to the suspension of their formal membership of the organisation, although their participation in activities of the Commonwealth Family of organisations is not necessarily affected.

Five countries have ever been suspended from the Commonwealth since the inception of the device in 1987. It was first applied to Fiji during the 1987 Fijian coups d'état which resulted in its democratic institutions being overthrown. Pakistan has been suspended twice, Fiji three times, and Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth.

List of suspensions

width=40%	Member	width=30%	Suspension began	width=30%	Suspension ended
(first time)	1987^[1]	1 Oct 1997^[2]
	11 November 1995^[3]	29 May 1999^[4]
(first time)	18 October 1999^[5]	22 May 2004^[6]
(second time)	6 June 2000^[7]	20 December 2001^[8]
	19 March 2002	7 December 2003^[9] by leaving the Commonwealth
(third time)	8 December 2006^[10]	26 September 2014^[11]
(second time)	22 November 2007^[12]	22 May 2008^[13]
	18 September 2023^[14]	Still in effect

1. Web site: The suspended Commonwealth member: Fiji .
2. Web site: Press Release: Fiji .
3. Web site: Nigeria – History . . 2009-04-10 .
4. Ingram . Derek . Derek Ingram (journalist) . October 1999 . Commonwealth Update . . 88 . 352 . 547–567 . 10.1080/003585399107758 .
5. Ingram . Derek . Derek Ingram (journalist) . January 2000 . Commonwealth Update . . 89 . 353 . 45–57 . 10.1080/750459452 .
6. Ingram . Derek . Derek Ingram (journalist) . July 2004 . Commonwealth Update . . 93 . 375 . 311–42 . 10.1080/0035853042000249933 .
7. Ingram . Derek . Derek Ingram (journalist) . July 2000 . Commonwealth Update . . 89 . 355 . 311–55 . 10.1080/00358530050083406.
8. Ingram . Derek . Derek Ingram (journalist) . April 2002 . Commonwealth Update . . 91 . 364 . 131–59 . 10.1080/00358530220144148 .
9. January 2004 . Editorial: CHOGM 2003, Abuja, Nigeria . . 93 . 373 . 3–6 . 10.1080/0035853042000188139 .
10. Ingram . Derek . Derek Ingram (journalist) . February 2007 . Commonwealth Update . . 96 . 388 . 2–28 . 10.1080/00358530701189734 . Soal . Judith .
11. http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/country/Fiji/ "Fiji"
12. Gruenbaum . Oren . February 2008 . Commonwealth Update . . 97 . 394 . 3–17 . 10.1080/00358530701864963 .
13. Gruenbaum . Oren . June 2008 . Commonwealth Update . . 97 . 396 . 341–54 . 10.1080/00358530802159347 .
14. Web site: Gabon partially suspended from the Commonwealth pending restoration of democracy . 2024-04-03 . Commonwealth . en.