German woman with Daesh spared death sentence in Iraq

An Iraqi court has lifted the death penalty handed down to a female German citizen for belonging to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, sentencing her to life in prison instead.

According to Press TV, German Foreign Ministry sources said Tuesday "The Foreign Ministry confirms that the death penalty against a German citizen in Iraq was commuted to a life sentence. The verdict is not yet final."

The German woman of Moroccan origin was condemned to death by hanging in January for providing "logistical support and helping the terrorist group to carry out crimes".

Her surviving daughter, in her early 20s, was given a one-year jail term for illegal entry into Iraq.

The commutation of her death penalty comes after the woman appealed the verdict. An Iraqi life sentence usually translates to 20 years in jail, or 15 years with good behavior.

The woman, identified by media outlets as Lamia K. continues to receive consular assistance from the German embassy in Baghdad.

She left Germany with her two daughters in 2014 to join Daesh. One of the daughters was killed while with the terrorist group

Lamia K. and her other daughter were detained by Iraqi forces during the final stages of the battle to oust Daesh from northern city of Mosul last July.

In February, a 17-year-old German teenager was sentenced to six years in jail for membership of Daesh and illegally crossing into Iraq.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi court has ordered the retrial of a French woman as she was found to have links with the Daesh. Melina Bougedir, 27, was wary that her husband was a Daesh fighter, however, she did not oppose to enter Iraq with him.

Bougedir was arrested last year in Mosul city along with her four children.  Three of whom have already been repatriated to France. 

On July 10, 2017, Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory over Daesh extremists in Mosul, which served as the terrorists’ main urban stronghold in the conflict-ridden Arab country.

In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters had made sweeping gains against Daesh.

ME