Shamima Begum Will Not Return To UK After Losing Citizenship Removal Appeal
22 Feb 2023
Shamima Begum has lost her challenge over the decision to remove her of British citizenship.
Mr Justice Jay of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission confirmed that her appeal had been fully dismissed.
Begum who at 15 years old travelled to join terrorist group Islamic State in 2015, was made effectively stateless on national security grounds by former home secretary Sajid Javid in 2019.
The 23-year-old will not be allowed to return to the UK and will remain in a camp in northern Syria.
The court adjudged that issues around whether Begum travelled to Syria voluntarily and poses a threat “are for the secretary of state to evaluate and not for the commission” despite also saying there was “credible suspicion” that Begum had been sex trafficked to Syria, and “arguable breaches of duty” by state bodies who failed to protect her from radicalisation.
In a statement, Ms Begum’s lawyers urged current home secretary, Suella Braverman, to look at the case again “in light of the commission’s troubling findings”.
A spokesman for the Home Office said it was “pleased” with the outcome.