In a landmark case that has sent shockwaves through Sweden, a 52-year-old woman has been handed a 12-year prison sentence for her involvement in heinous crimes of genocide and war atrocities committed against the Yazidi community in Syria. Lina Ishaq, a Swedish national, was found guilty of appalling acts that included enslaving three Yazidi women and six Yazidi children between 2014 and 2016 while residing in Raqqa, the stronghold of the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).
This significant ruling marks the first instance in Sweden where justice has been served for the atrocities suffered by the Yazidi people, a religious minority in Iraq. Ishaq’s role in perpetuating the enslavement and abuse of her victims was deemed egregious by the Stockholm District Court, with Judge Maria Ulfsdotter Klang highlighting the severity of her actions in upholding the brutal system of captivity orchestrated by IS.
Born into a Christian family in Iraq, Ishaq’s journey took a dark turn when she embraced Islam prior to her marriage and ultimately aligned herself with IS, relocating her family to Syria in 2013. Tragically, her involvement with the terrorist organization led to the loss of her 16-year-old son, who was coerced into becoming a child soldier by IS.
The Yazidis, a vulnerable religious minority concentrated in northern Iraq’s Sinjar region, faced unspeakable horrors at the hands of IS militants during the group’s genocidal campaign launched in August 2014. The brutal onslaught resulted in the deaths of thousands of Yazidis and the displacement of half a million individuals, with over 6,000 women and children enduring captivity and unimaginable suffering as slaves to IS members.
Ishaq’s insidious actions, which included imposing Islamic practices on her captives and subjecting them to physical abuse, epitomized the cruelty inflicted upon the Yazidi community by IS. Her prosecution has not only brought a measure of justice to the victims but has also fostered a sense of security and trust within the Yazidi diaspora residing in Sweden.
As one of approximately 300 Swedish nationals who joined IS, Ishaq’s flight from Raqqa following the group’s downfall in 2017 eventually led to her extradition to Sweden in 2020. The repercussions of her crimes have reverberated far beyond her personal fate, contributing to a broader dialogue on accountability and the protection of vulnerable communities against extremist ideologies.
Dawood Khalaf, the chairman of the Yazidi association in Skaraborg, acknowledged the pivotal role played by Ishaq’s prosecution in assuaging the fears of Yazidis living in Sweden who had previously hesitated to engage with authorities due to concerns about retaliation from IS sympathizers. The legal process surrounding Ishaq’s case has not only brought a sense of closure to the affected community but has also paved the way for greater cooperation between law enforcement and minority groups.
While Ishaq maintains her innocence and contemplates a
