The court sentenced the two sisters, now 31 and 27 years old, for participating in a terrorist organization. At the ages of 19 and 16, they traveled to territory controlled by ISIS, where they became wives of militants.
The court found that their actions were motivated by ideological beliefs, and their involvement in ISIS “educational programs” was deemed support for the group. The older sister received a 4-year prison sentence for participating in a terrorist organization, while the younger sister was sentenced to 2 years. During the court session, they appeared in colorful dresses and hijabs.
The older sister tried to convince the court that she went to Syria for humanitarian work, but the court did not believe her. No evidence was found of her involvement in humanitarian aid, but it was discovered that she supported ISIS and encouraged others to join the group.
The court also rejected their claims that they watched ISIS propaganda videos to “get used to the blood.” Instead, the court noted that to do so, they would have searched for information about medical assistance, but no such searches were found online.
Additionally, in the Netherlands, the first trial against an ISIS woman accused of using slave labor in Syria will begin in the fall of 2024. In Austria, a 14-year-old girl who was influenced by ISIS ideology and planned a terrorist attack has been sentenced.
