A Munich court has handed down lengthy prison terms to an Iraqi couple for enslaving and abusing two Yazidi girls in Iraq, in a landmark ruling spanning genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The Higher Regional Court in Munich sentenced Twana H.S. to life imprisonment and gave his former partner, Asia R.A., a nine-and-a-half-year juvenile sentence. Presiding judge Philipp Stoll said the trial aimed to affirm the authority of international law. Prosecutors established that the pair purchased the two girls as slaves and subjected them to sexual abuse while affiliated with the Islamic State. The man, who worked as a hairdresser in Munich, is believed to have been radicalised at a mosque in the city.
The couple was arrested in Bavaria in April 2024. Asia R.A., now 30, offered an apology during proceedings.