Grounds to suspect Shamima Begum was trafficked, court hears

Grounds to suspect Shamima Begum was trafficked, court hears

  • Published on
    November 22, 2022
  • News Source Image
  • Category:
    Human Trafficking, Law & Policy
Hero Banner

Police should have investigated whether Shamima Begum was a victim of human trafficking and helped her return if she was, a court heard, as there were grounds to suspect she had been groomed as a child bride.  

Begum was 15 years old when she left the U.K. to join Islamic State in Syria. Just days after arriving, she was married to an IS solder from the Netherlands. She had three children but none of them survived. 

Credible suspicion of trafficking 

During the hearing of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac), Samantha Knights KC reminded the tribunal that “Children allegedly associated or affiliated with terrorist groups are often, in fact, victims of terrorism and trafficking,” adding that children “cannot consent to their own exploitation.” For adults, the act (recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or reception of persons), means (through force, fraud or coercion) and purpose (for exploitation) must be present to determine a case of trafficking whereas for children, the act and purpose are the only necessary elements. This means that even if a child is aware of what is happening, they cannot give informed consent to their exploitation.

The Guardian quotes Knights: 

It is unarguable that there was a credible suspicion that Miss Begum was the subject of trafficking and there therefore was an obligation to investigate whether she was the victim of trafficking from the UK and what they could do in terms of recovery. 

Knights also flagged that children cannot consent to child marriage, which is defined under international law as a marriage in which at least one party is under 18.  

The government’s response 

The government’s own modern slavery strategy establishes the obligation to prevent exploitation, identify victims and persecute perpetrators.  

But despite the grounds to suspect that Begum was a trafficking victim, the government responded by stripping her of her British citizenship in February 2019. The then home secretary, Sajid Javid, claimed this response was for reasons of national security.  

Javid failed to consider the “obvious importance” of rescue and recovery of Begum as a child trafficking victim, according to her lawyers. 

Begum’s lawyers also pointed to “missed opportunities” from her school and the police to identify the risk of her being groomed and trafficked abroad.

Subscribe

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

Notify of
guest
1 Comment
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Jan
Jan
1 year ago

It feels like it’s time to get Shamima home. Unfortunately for her she and her children paid a very high price for her continued wilful and arrogant contempt of the UK. Her attitude understandably angered so many of us but maybe she has matured a little now.

This week

Florida depends on exploited incarcerated workers for Hurricane Helene recovery support

Florida is once again turning to forced prison labor for essential public services. This time the state needs help clearing debris following the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently boasted the use of what he called “low-security inmates” to manage cleanup operations. But how does the Sunshine State treat the people who are providing this critical service? Trapped in debt as Florida saves money As Florida

| Wednesday October 2, 2024

Read more