Syrian women, suspected of being related to Islamic State (IS) group fighters, gather at the Kurdish-run al-Hol camp, before being released to return to their homes, in the al-Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria, on December 21, 2020. Photo: Delil Souleiman / AFP / Lehtikuva
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A dual Finnish-Russian citizen is suspected of aggravated human trafficking after allegedly taking her minor children into a conflict zone controlled by the Islamic State in Syria in 2014, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Thursday.
The woman, now in her 40s and living in the Helsinki region, is accused of exposing her children to life-threatening conditions in an area ruled by a terrorist organisation, violating their human dignity and right to safety. The preliminary investigation, which has taken over a year, has now concluded.
Authorities say she transported her children to territory held by ISIS during the height of the group’s control in Syria. They later ended up in the al-Hol displacement camp in the country’s northeast, where thousands of foreign nationals were held after the group’s collapse.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, the children were exposed to a life that did not ensure their right to a safe growing environment,” said Jan Aarnisalo, the case’s lead investigator at the NBI.
The case now proceeds to the Western Finland Prosecutor’s Office for possible charges. No other individuals are suspected in the case, and the woman has not been detained.
The two children who were taken to Syria and later returned to Finland are recognised as victims in the investigation. One returned with their mother in late 2021, while the second came later. Both are now adults.
The alleged actions fall under aggravated human trafficking due to the involvement of minors and the circumstances in which their welfare was endangered in a war zone.
Al-Hol camp, run by Kurdish forces, became a focal point of international concern after ISIS lost territorial control. The camp housed tens of thousands of women and children, many of them family members of ISIS fighters. Conditions in the camp have been widely criticised by humanitarian agencies.
Finnish officials have worked for several years to repatriate citizens from Syria, particularly children. Between 2019 and 2023, Finland repatriated 26 children and nine adults from al-Hol. The Finnish government stated in 2023 that further repatriations were no longer feasible, citing a lack of cooperation from the remaining mothers in the camp.
The NBI has previously examined other cases related to individuals who travelled to or returned from Syria, though successful prosecutions have been limited. This case marks one of the first where suspected human trafficking charges are tied to travel to ISIS-held areas.
No timeline has been given for when the prosecutor will decide whether charges will be filed. If prosecuted and convicted, the woman could face a lengthy prison sentence under Finnish criminal law, which allows for up to 10 years for aggravated human trafficking.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
