The UK government has confirmed it will vigorously defend its decision to revoke Shamima Begum’s citizenship as her case comes under review by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), 24NewsHD reported on Friday.
According to UK government sources, Shamima Begum, who left the UK at age 15 to join a Daesh-controlled area in the Middle East and married a militant, had her British citizenship stripped on grounds of national security.
Her lawyers argued that the government failed to consider that she was a victim of grooming and human trafficking.
The ECHR judges had reportedly asked the Home Office whether ministers considered grooming and trafficking claims and what responsibilities the UK held in such cases.
Government sources urged that UK courts had upheld the citizenship revocation decision and that the Home Secretary would continue to prioritize national security.
Begum, now 26, had three children as a result of her marriage to a Daesh fighter, but all three have since died.
Her legal team approached the ECHR in December 2024 after the UK Supreme Court denied permission to challenge the decision.
The opposition Conservative Party has maintained that Begum should not be allowed to return to the UK under any circumstances, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp stating that she chose violent Islamist extremists herself.