In a decisive ruling, the Court of Appeal in London dealt a blow to Shamima Begum, a 24-year-old woman who sought to overturn the revocation of her British citizenship. The court staunchly rejected all five arguments put forth by Begum’s legal team, leaving her with the option to escalate her case to the supreme court, albeit with dwindling hopes of success.
Judge Sue Carr, delivering the verdict, articulated the court’s stance, refraining from moral commentary on Begum’s circumstances but emphasizing the legality of the citizenship deprivation decision. “It could be argued that the decision in Miss Begum’s case was harsh, it could also be argued that Miss Begum is the author of her own misfortune,” noted Judge Carr. “But it is not for this court to agree or disagree with either point of view; our only task is to assess whether the deprivation decision was unlawful. We have concluded it was not, and the appeal is dismissed.”
Begum’s journey from East London to Syria at the tender age of 15, where she married an IS fighter and bore three children, ended in the revocation of her citizenship by then Interior Minister Sajid Javid on national security grounds in 2019. Despite arguments posited by Begum’s legal team, which contended the government’s failure to recognize her as a potential trafficking victim, the court remained resolute in its decision.
While acknowledging the complexities of Begum’s case, the court upheld its earlier ruling, which deemed her not stateless but a citizen of Bangladesh by descent due to her Bangladeshi mother. This ruling, coupled with previous legal setbacks, including a loss at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) last year, solidified Begum’s status as a figure emblematic of the post-IS landscape in Europe.
Begum’s story is just one among many, emblematic of the challenges faced by governments grappling with the aftermath of the collapse of the IS caliphate. With around 900 individuals estimated to have departed from Britain to join IS ranks, and approximately 150 losing their citizenship as a consequence, Begum’s legal battle stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring complexities of extremism and citizenship in the modern age.
