Shamima Begum's UK return bid boosted by fall of Assad govt : lawyer

Lawyer for Shamima Begum says UK government’s refusal to repatriate is putting her life at risk in Syria.

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Shamima Begum’s lawyer has stated that her hopes of returning to the UK have been significantly "bolstered" by the fall of Syrian leader Bashar al Assad, which could pave the way for a new legal challenge to reinstate her British citizenship.

Shamima Begum, who left the UK at the age of 15 to join the Daesh in 2015, has been stranded in Syria’s Roj detention camp for over five years after her citizenship was revoked by the UK government.

The government cited national security concerns, claiming that she posed a threat to the British public if allowed to return.

Shamima Begum, now 25, has made multiple legal attempts to return to the UK, but these have been unsuccessful, with courts siding with the government’s stance on national security.

However, her lawyer, Tasnime Akunjee, told The Telegraph that recent developments in Syria—namely the downfall of Assad’s regime—could provide grounds for a new legal bid.

According to Tasnime Akunjee, the increasing instability in northern Syria, combined with the potential closure of camps like Roj, where Shamima Begum is currently held, could expose her to greater risks.

He suggested that this would create a compelling legal argument under human rights law, claiming that the UK government’s refusal to repatriate her could be seen as endangering her life.

“The closure of the Roj camp, where Shamima is detained, would likely force her into the desert,” Tasnime Akunjee explained. "The government’s decision to continue depriving her of citizenship could lead to far greater risks than any danger she might pose to national security.”

This development comes amid growing concerns over the conditions in Syria’s refugee camps, where detainees—including many children—are subjected to harsh conditions.

Human rights groups, such as Amnesty International, have reported widespread torture and unlawful separation of women from their children within the camps.

There are still around 70 British nationals, including jihadist fighters and their families, being detained in camps controlled by Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Among them are approximately 20 women, including Begum, and 40 children, who remain in precarious situations amid the ongoing conflict.

While the UK government has previously argued that repatriating individuals like Shamima Begum would pose a security threat, some human rights advocates have urged for their return.

Dan Dolan, deputy executive director of the human rights organisation Reprieve, called for urgent repatriation, saying the lives of detainees—especially young children—were at risk.

“It’s more urgent than ever to repatriate the British families imprisoned without charge in north-east Syria,” Dolan said. “This is a volatile situation, and lives are at risk.

The UK Government is more than capable of handling this small number of cases, and it is in the interests of justice, security, and human rights to repatriate these families without delay.”

Shamima Begum’s legal battle began in 2019 when the then UK Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, stripped her of her citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981, arguing that her presence in Syria and her affiliation with Daesh posed a threat to national security.

The UK government also asserted that Shamima Begum could claim Bangladeshi citizenship, even though she had never lived in Bangladesh.

Despite the Supreme Court rejecting her appeal in 2021, Shamima Begum’s legal team remains committed to challenging her statelessness, and the latest developments in Syria may offer a renewed opportunity for a legal fight.

Tasnime Akunjee hinted that the evolving situation in Syria could give weight to the argument that the government’s actions—particularly in light of the imminent closure of camps—could be deemed disproportionate in relation to the risks posed by Begum.

“Watch this space,” Tasnime Akunjee said, adding that the proportionality of the government’s decision had now been "bolstered" by the current situation in Syria.

Shamima Begum, who was 15 when she travelled to Syria with two other schoolgirls from London, married an Daesh fighter and had three children, all of whom died young.