Shamima Begum: Return and Citizenship Debate
Shamima Begum left her home in east London at the age of 15 to join ISIS in 2015. She has since been detained in a Syrian camp.
Independent Review Findings
An independent review of the UK’s counterterrorism policies recommends allowing Begum and other UK-linked detainees held in Syrian camps to return to Britain. The Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice conducted a three-year review and concluded that keeping British nationals in camps like al-Hol and Roj in northeast Syria is “unsustainable.”
“Leaving British nationals in camps such as al-Hol and Roj in northeast Syria... could turn them into Britain’s Guantanamo.”
The report highlighted the inhumane conditions in these camps, describing them as “inhuman and degrading treatment,” and stated that indefinite detention in such places breaches the UK’s international human rights obligations.
Recommendations from the Commission
- The government should facilitate the voluntary repatriation of British nationals, including those who have lost citizenship.
- A special envoy should be appointed to manage returns and inform returnees about any legal consequences they may face.
Sir Declan Morgan, former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and chair of the commission, said, “The UK government’s decision to revoke Shamima Begum’s citizenship was a mistake.”
This review reignites the debate on citizenship and how the UK handles nationals linked to terrorism abroad.
Author’s summary: The commission urges the UK to repatriate British nationals from Syrian camps, criticizing indefinite detention and citizenship revocation as harmful and legally questionable.