A Swedish court has sentenced a 52-year-old woman to 12 years in prison for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Lina Ishaq, a Swedish citizen, committed brutal acts against Yazidi women and children. She was a member of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS).
Enslavement and Abuse of Yazidi Victims
The court found Ishaq guilty of enslaving three women and six children. She forced them into labor, abused them, and tried to make them change their religion.
Her crimes happened between August 2014 and December 2016. She was in Raqqa, Syria, the former IS stronghold.
Ishaq was already serving a six-year sentence. She had taken her 12-year-old son to Syria, where IS recruited him. He died in battle at 16.
Captured After IS Collapse and Extradited to Sweden
Ishaq joined IS in 2013. She was one of 300 Swedish nationals who traveled to Syria. Most of them were women, according to Sweden’s intelligence service.
She fled Raqqa when IS lost control in 2017. Syrian Kurdish forces later captured her, but she escaped to Turkey.
Turkish authorities arrested her. She was with her son and two other children she had with an IS fighter from Tunisia.
In 2020, she was extradited to Sweden. Authorities put her on trial for her crimes against Yazidi victims.
The Yazidi Genocide
The Islamic State attacked the Yazidi people in August 2014. They killed thousands of men. They kidnapped women and children. Many victims were sold into slavery.
The United Nations has called this a genocide. The world has condemned IS for these crimes.
Sweden’s Role in Prosecution
Sweden is known for its strict laws on war crimes. It has sentenced several former IS members. Experts say Sweden plays a key role in international justice.
Lisa Olsson, a lawyer who worked on the case, called the ruling a “historic moment.” She said it brings justice to victims of war crimes.
Yazidi Survivors Speak Out
Yazidi survivors say justice is important, but more must be done. Many women still suffer from the trauma of IS slavery. Human rights groups urge more help for survivors.
Sarah Ahmed, a Yazidi activist, said, “We need more trials like this. Those who committed these crimes must face justice.”
Ongoing Trials in Europe
Many countries of Europe are prosecuting IS members. Courts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands have convicted former fighters.
Experts say more trials are expected. Authorities continue to investigate those who returned from Syria.
For more updates on this case and similar news, visit Euro News 24.
