Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is prepared to mount a vigorous defence of the government's move to strip Shamima Begum of her British citizenship, as the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) demands answers from the UK.
European Court Scrutinises UK's Decision
The Strasbourg-based court has formally requested that the British government explain its decision to revoke Begum's citizenship. The move was taken in February 2019 after Begum, then aged 15, travelled from her home in east London to territory controlled by the so-called Islamic State (IS).
Begum, who is now in a Syrian camp, was "married off" to an IS fighter and was deprived of her citizenship on national security grounds. Her legal team at Birnberg Peirce Solicitors lodged a case with the ECHR in December 2024 after the UK's Supreme Court denied her the chance to challenge the decision domestically.
Core Legal Argument Focuses on Trafficking
The central question posed by the European judges focuses on whether the UK failed in its duties under Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits slavery and forced labour. The court has asked the Home Office if the then Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, had a positive obligation to consider whether Begum was a victim of trafficking and grooming before making the deprivation order.
Begum's solicitor, Gareth Peirce, argues it is "impossible to dispute" that a 15-year-old child was "lured, encouraged and deceived for the purposes of sexual exploitation". She contends there was a "catalogue of failures" by the state to protect a child known to be at high risk.
Government Vows to Put National Security First
In response, a Government source stated that Shabana Mahmood will "robustly defend" the decision, which has been repeatedly upheld in British courts. "The Home Secretary will always put this country's national security first," the source said.
The Conservative opposition has also voiced strong support for the government's stance. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Begum "has no place in the UK" and expressed deep concern that the ECHR was examining the case, arguing the UK's own Supreme Court had already found the action lawful.
This legal confrontation sets the stage for a significant clash between the UK's national security prerogatives and international human rights obligations concerning child trafficking victims.
