Sixty Russian women await trial in Iraq over Islamic State links
ISIS women fighters.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) At least 60 Russian women are awaiting trial in Iraq over illegal entry and involvement with Islamic State militants, said a member of the Russian Federation Council.
Ziyad Sabsabi, the representative of Chechnya in the council, was quoted by Russia Today saying that though most of the suspects deny the charges, they could face sentences that amount to death.
He pointed that 11 of those will stand trial on April 29th, according to the channel’s website.
He complained that local lawyers abstain from defending those suspects citing ethical reasons, decrying also a lack of interest from Russian lawyers.
Sabsabi pointed that there are children less than three years of age staying in jail with their mothers, while older ones are put into juvenile mansions since it is difficult to repatriate them before deciding on the fate of their mothers.
Iraq has sentenced several foreign nationals to death and life in prison over involvement with the Islamic State during the extremist group’s three-year occupation of large parts of the country.
Iraq is holding hundreds of foreign wives and children of Islamic State militants who were captured as Iraqi forces gradually seized back territories held by the extremist group since 2014. The government declared victory over IS last December.
Authorities say they are coordinating with other countries to extradite those held who are not convicted of terrorism.