In a landmark ruling, the Munich Higher Regional Court found an Iraqi man and his wife guilty of enslaving two Yazidi girls and tied them to the Islamic State’s systematic assault on the Yazidi community.
Legal outcome
Twanta H.S. was sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and severe sexual abuse of children. His wife, Asia R. A., received a nine‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence as a juvenile offender.
Nature of the offense
The couple bought a five‑year‑old Yazidi girl at a Mosul bazaar in 2015 and a twelve‑year‑old in 2017, enslaving them for forced labour, child‑care duties, and repeated rape. They prohibited the children from practising their religion and subjected them to beatings, scalding, and other forms of physical punishment.
Background
The Yazidis, a Kurdish‑speaking minority, suffered mass killings, enslavement, and systematic sexual violence when the Islamic State seized northern Iraq and parts of Syria in 2014. Germany recognised these acts as genocide.
Case procedure
The defendants were arrested in Bavaria in 2024 and brought to trial under Germany’s universal jurisdiction framework, which permits prosecution of war crimes committed abroad. The court heard harrowing testimony from the eldest Yazidi girl, who described forced labour and repeated rapes; the second girl remains missing.
Reactions
During the proceedings, Asia R.A. apologised, saying, “I’m sorry.” Twanta H.S. chose not to speak in court.
Significance
This conviction highlights Germany’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for the atrocities carried out by the Islamic State and underscores the global reach of universal jurisdiction in protecting victims of war crimes.
