Shamima Begum loses UK citizenship appeal

Begum, 23, loses bid to overturn 2019 resolution to revoke her citizenship on nationwide safety grounds.

Shamima Begum
Begum left London in 2015 aged 15 and travelled with two faculty buddies to Syria, the place she married an ISIL fighter [File: Laura Lean/WPA Pool/Getty]

Shamima Begum, the British nationwide who travelled to Syria as a schoolgirl to affix ISIL (ISIS), has misplaced her newest authorized try and regain citizenship.

The Particular Immigration Appeals Fee – a tribunal that considers appeals in opposition to authorities choices to take away citizenship on nationwide safety grounds – dismissed Begum’s attraction at a listening to on Wednesday.

She left London in 2015 aged 15 and, with two faculty buddies, went to Syria, the place she married an ISIL fighter and gave beginning to 3 kids, all of whom died as infants.

She was stripped of her British citizenship in 2019. Shortly after, she was present in a detention camp in Syria.

Begum, now 23, challenged that call at a listening to in London final November.

Al Jazeera’s Nadim Baba, reporting from London, stated Wednesday’s ruling was “clearly a setback” for Begum.

“She remains to be within the camp in northern Syria the place she was discovered to be residing in 2019, 4 years after she left her residence in east London to go to Turkey and on to Syria into the so-called caliphate run by ISIL,” Baba stated.

“However this isn't the tip of the authorized problem that she will be able to carry, she will be able to go to the Courtroom of Enchantment right here within the UK and the Supreme Courtroom after that,” he added.

“Her legal professionals have even instructed it might go to the European Courtroom of Human Rights, too.”

Citizenship debate

Begum’s authorized workforce accused the Dwelling Workplace – the UK’s inside ministry – of failing to research whether or not she was a “baby sufferer of trafficking”.

They stated there was overwhelming proof that Begum had been “recruited, transported, transferred, harboured and acquired in Syria for the needs of sexual exploitation”.

Her legal professionals additionally argued that she and her buddies’ entry into Syria had been “facilitated by a Canadian agent working for ISIS”.

A e-book launched in August final 12 months investigating intelligence sharing between the UK, Canada and different allies alleged that the Canadian agent’s position in Begum’s case was later coated up by the police and Britain’s safety providers.

The Secret Historical past of the 5 Eyes by Richard Kerbaj, a former safety correspondent of The Sunday Occasions, prompted calls for for an official inquiry into Begum’s case. Canada and the UK declined to touch upon the allegations, as is routine for safety points involving intelligence businesses.

Earlier, Begum’s legal professionals claimed that then-Dwelling Secretary Sajid Javid had “pre-determined” her British citizenship ought to be revoked in 2019 earlier than receiving any proof from officers, successfully rendering her stateless.

Javid argued on the time that Begum was a menace to nationwide safety. He additionally stated she was eligible for Bangladeshi citizenship, the beginning nation of her mother and father.

Bangladeshi authorities stated Begum didn't have twin citizenship and had by no means visited the South Asian nation. In addition they dominated out granting her Bangladeshi nationality.

Worldwide legislation forbids international locations from making individuals stateless by revoking their solely citizenship.

Public opinion is split over the case. Some say she ought to stay barred, whereas others imagine she ought to stand trial in a British courtroom for becoming a member of ISIL.

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