The Home Secretary has pledged to mount a staunch defence of the government's controversial decision to revoke the citizenship of Shamima Begum, as the former ISIS bride launches a fresh legal challenge. Lawyers for Ms Begum are arguing she was a victim of trafficking when she travelled to Syria as a 15-year-old schoolgirl.
Legal Challenge Centres on Trafficking Claims
Ms Begum's legal team is challenging the revocation of her citizenship under Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits slavery and forced labour. They contend that the London-born woman was "lured, encouraged and deceived for the purposes of sexual exploitation" as a child.
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has now demanded answers from the British government. Specifically, judges have asked the Home Office whether officials should have considered if Ms Begum was a victim of trafficking before stripping her of her rights. This new line of argument follows the UK Supreme Court's previous denial of her chance to challenge the move.
Her lawyer, Gareth Peirce, stated it was "impossible to dispute" that a 15-year-old was groomed and trafficked to Islamic State territory to be given to a fighter. She also cited a "catalogue of failures" by authorities to protect a child known to be at high risk.
Government Vows Unwavering Stance on National Security
Despite the new legal arguments, the government's position remains resolute. A Government source confirmed that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will not budge and is prepared to fight the challenge. "The Home Secretary will robustly defend the decision to revoke Shamima Begum's citizenship, which has been tested and upheld time and again in our domestic courts," the source said. "The Home Secretary will always put this country's national security first."
The original decision to remove Ms Begum's citizenship was made in February 2019 by the then Conservative Home Secretary, Sir Sajid Javid, who deemed her a threat to national security. Ms Begum, now 26, remains in a camp in Syria.
A Case That Continues to Divide
The case of Shamima Begum has sparked intense debate since she left the UK as a teenager. In 2015, she travelled to Syria with two schoolfriends, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana, both of whom have since been reported dead. Shortly after arrival, she married a 23-year-old ISIS recruit and gave birth to three children, all of whom have died.
The Conservative party has reiterated its stance that Ms Begum should not be allowed back into the UK "under any circumstances". The legal battle now hinges on whether the courts accept the argument that she was a trafficked child victim, a factor her lawyers say former Home Secretary Javid "failed entirely to consider." The outcome will have significant implications for national security policy and the treatment of alleged trafficking victims.
