Shamima Begum’s British citizenship removal was ‘unlawful,’ Court of Appeal hears Shamima Begum, then aged 15, travelled to Syria in 2015. She was later found to be living in a refugee camp and shortly after, the Home Office revoked her citizenship and barred her from returning to the UK.

(Sky News) The decision to remove Shamima Begum’s British citizenship was “unlawful,” a court has heard, as her latest appeal against the decision begins.

Ms Begum travelled to Syria in 2015 to join Islamic State, when she was aged 15, and her UK citizenship was revoked on national security grounds shortly after she was found in a refugee camp in February 2019.

Earlier this year, Ms Begum, now 24, lost a challenge against the decision at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), meaning she would not be able to return to the UK.

Delivering the ruling in February, Mr Justice Jay said that while there was “credible suspicion that Ms Begum was recruited, transferred and then harboured for the purpose of sexual exploitation,” this did not prevent then-home secretary Sajid Javid from removing her citizenship.

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