In brief
A German court found an Iraqi couple guilty of enslaving two Yazidi girls in Iraq, sentencing the husband to life imprisonment and the wife to 9½ years. The perpetrators were also convicted of membership in the Islamic State and for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The case illustrates Germany's universal jurisdiction for war crimes committed abroad, and underscores the ongoing tragedy of Yazidi victims. Testimony from the surviving child described repeated rape and beatings, while the second girl remains missing. The harsh verdict may offer a measure of justice for the Yazidi community affected by ISIS atrocities.
A Munich Higher Regional Court convicted an Iraqi husband and wife of collecting, enslaving and sexually abusing two Yazidi girls in Iraq. The husband, identified only as Twana H.S. for privacy reasons, was handed a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and severe sexual abuse of children. His wife, Asia R. A., received nine and a half years’ imprisonment, the latter being a juvenile sentence.
The couple were also convicted of membership in the Islamic State (IS), a charge stemming from their participation in IS's systematic campaign to destroy the Yazidi faith. Their actions were said to be part of the wider genocide that took place when IS seized large territories in Syria and Iraq in 2014.
Prosecutors described how Twana H.S. bought a five‑year‑old Yazidi girl at a Mosul bazaar in autumn 2015, and later a twelve‑year‑old in early October 2017, at his wife’s request. Both girls were subjected to forced labour, beatings, religious suppression and repeated rape.
The wife admitted to scalding one girl’s hand with hot water and preparing the girls for their husband. The husband's wife even applied make‑up to one of the girls and ensured the room was fit for his use.
During the trial, an elder Yazidi survivor testified about her beatings and repeated sexual assaults. The younger girl’s fate remains uncertain, and a second victim was reported missing.
Legal experts said the case was tried under German universal jurisdiction, which permits prosecution of genocide and war crimes committed abroad. In her final words, Asia R. A. apologized, saying, “I’m sorry.” Twana H.S. declined to speak in court.
