By Besir Ozbek, Floriane Borel, Anene Negeri and Mitch Paquette
Each week students at the University of Essex Human Rights Centre prepare an overview of the past week’s human rights related news stories from around the world.
This week’s story in focus
British-born Shamima Begum was 15 years old when she left Bethnal Green, London to join ISIS. Recently, she fled from Baghuz, the last remaining ISIS stronghold in Syria, after the deaths of her two children and while nine months pregnant with her third child. Now living in the al-Hawl refugee camp with her newborn son, Shamima has publicized her desire to return to the UK.
Since this story came to light, the UK Home Office has decided to revoke Shamima’s British citizenship. Under UK law, it is only possible to deprive a person of their citizenship if it is “conducive to the public good” and if doing so would not leave a person stateless. The Home Office has said that because her mother is of Bangladeshi heritage, Shamima would be eligible for citizenship in that country. The government of Bangladesh, however, denies that Shamima is a Bangladeshi citizen and says that she would not be allowed to enter the country. Human rights groups have criticized the UK Home Office’s decision as a breach of Shamima Begum’s right to not be arbitrarily deprived of her UK citizenship. Amnesty International UK has stated that revoking Shamima’s citizenship is “legally and morally questionable,” particularly given that children are involved, and has further stated that if the government suspects that an individual returning the UK has committed crimes under international law, they should be investigated and charged appropriately.
