Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to vigorously defend the decision to cancel the UK citizenship of Shamima Begum, the former ISIS bride, as a fresh legal challenge emerges. Begum’s legal team argues that she was manipulated, coerced, and misled into sexual exploitation at the age of 15. The European Court of Human Rights has requested clarification from the UK regarding this controversial action.
Shamima Begum, a native of London who ventured to ISIS-controlled territory as a schoolgirl, is contesting the citizenship revocation that occurred in February 2019. Despite her plea, a government insider indicated that Mahmood remains firm on the decision. The move to strip Begum’s citizenship was made by former Conservative Home Secretary Sajid Javid, citing concerns about national security due to her marriage to an ISIS combatant, with Begum currently residing in a Syrian camp.
Begum’s legal team is challenging the decision under Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, focusing on the prohibition of slavery and forced labor. The UK Supreme Court rejected her appeal, prompting judges in Strasbourg to question whether the government overlooked Begum potentially being a trafficking victim. Attorney Gareth Peirce highlighted the failures in safeguarding a 15-year-old girl who was enticed into ISIS-controlled territory for exploitation purposes.
The government has affirmed its stance to defend the citizenship revocation decision against Begum’s challenge, emphasizing national security as its top priority. The Conservative party emphasized that Begum should not be readmitted to the UK under any circumstances.
Shamima Begum, now 26, traveled to Syria in 2015 accompanied by two school acquaintances, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana, both reportedly deceased. Following her arrival in Syria, Begum married a 23-year-old ISIS recruit and bore three children, all of whom passed away.