Courts / Louth / Report
Women who tried to leave Islamic State faced torture and death
Summary
During a Special Criminal Court hearing, Dr Florence Gaub, a social scientist and director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies, testified about the treatment of women in the Islamic State (IS). She explained that women who attempted to leave IS-controlled territory were deemed traitors, spies or cowards and faced imprisonment, torture or death. Gaub cited a case in which an Austrian woman was beaten to death with a hammer after expressing a desire to return home. She also confirmed that IS restricted women's movements, requiring husband's permission for travel, and that husbands could lightly chastise wives to enforce compliance. Gaub noted that IS's morality police enforced strict gender norms and that female propagandists often presented a false image of life inside the group. The testimony was part of the trial of Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier who denies membership in IS. The court will decide whether Smith joined the terrorist organisation. Lisa Smith pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Women who tried to leave Islamic State faced torture and death. Charges or matters: membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019; financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 28th, 2015 Incident
- December 1st, 2019 Incident
- May 6th, 2015 Incident
- 2022-03-14 Publication
Why: After her arrest in 2019, Ms Smith told gardai that she travelled to Syria because she believed she was under a religious obligation to join the Caliphate announced by Baghdadi. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: membership of an unlawful terrorist group, Islamic State, between October 28th, 2015 and December 1st, 2019; financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6th, 2015 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: The consequences could be imprisonment, torture and killing." Such punishments, she said, were routine in the Islamic State and she recounted the case of two Austrian women who said they wanted to leave to go home.
Places mentioned
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