European Court of Human Rights Questions UK over Shamima Begum Citizenship Stripping
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has questioned the United Kingdom's 2019 decision to revoke the British citizenship of Shamima Begum. The case centers on Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and considers the UK's potential duties regarding trafficking.
Shamima Begum left east London in 2015 at the age of 15 to live in territory controlled by the Islamic State. During that time, she married an IS fighter and had three children, all of whom died in infancy. Currently, Begum is stateless and residing in a Syrian refugee camp.
The case was lodged in December 2024 after Begum was denied the opportunity to challenge the citizenship removal at the UK Supreme Court. The ECtHR communication to the UK lists four specific questions directed to the Home Office concerning the decision.
Begum is represented by Birnberg Peirce Solicitors, with lawyer Gareth Peirce describing the ECtHR communication as an unprecedented opportunity to address grooming and trafficking responsibilities that previous UK administrations may have overlooked. Begum's legal team argues that she was a victim of child trafficking and have focused on grooming and trafficking issues in her case.
The Home Office responded by defending the decision robustly on national security grounds, stating that Begum poses a threat to national security and cannot return to the UK.
Reactions from the British opposition highlighted the divisive nature of the case. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned Begum, stating she has no place in the UK due to her support for violent extremism. Similarly, Reform UK's Richard Tice criticized the European Court of Human Rights and called for the UK to withdraw from the court.
