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Shamima Begum family ‘starts appeal against citizenship decision’

She left London in 2015.

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Shamima Begum

The family of Islamic State bride Shamima Begum are reported to have begun legal proceedings to review the decision to strip her of British citizenship.

Ms Begum was one of three schoolgirls to leave Bethnal Green to join the terror cult in 2015 and resurfaced at a Syrian refugee camp last month.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid revoked the teenager’s British citizenship in a move only permissible under international law if it does not leave the individual stateless.

Sajid Javid
Sajid Javid announced Ms Begum would be stripped of her citizenship last month (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

It was speculated that Ms Begum, who is of Bangladeshi heritage, may have citizenship there but Bangladesh’s minister of state for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam denied this.

The Guardian reports that appeals against this decision have been made with the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.

Tasnime Akunjee, who represents Ms Begum’s family, questioned how the removal of citizenship could be proportionate when people who have “actively fought” for Islamic State have not faced the same treatment.

He told the paper: “The decision is wrong because it renders Begum stateless, it puts her life at risk and breaches her right to family life.

“The government have accepted that 400 people have picked up a gun and actively fought for Isis and they been allowed back to Britain.

“So how can it be proportionate for a 19-year-old girl who had a child not to be allowed to return, when the others have been allowed to return?”

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