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Iraqi Couple Gets Life for Enslaving Yazidi Girls

An Iraqi couple received life sentences from a Munich court for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes against two Yazidi girls enslaved by ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

JULY 13, 2026 AT 2:56 PM

The trial of Twana H., 43, and his wife Asia R., 29, concluded this month after proceedings that began in May 2025, according to Nius. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office brought charges including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes through enslavement and rape, as well as severe sexual abuse of children.

Twana H., who operated under the fighting name “Abu Abdullah,” and Asia R., known as “Umm Abdullah,” enslaved and abused the two Yazidi girls while operating within territories controlled by the Islamic State terror organization. Prosecutors argued that the crimes were part of the systematic persecution of the Yazidi religious community by ISIS.

A representative of the Federal Prosecutor General described the severity of the case during proceedings, stating that the violence was so extreme it seemed beyond human comprehension. The brutality served the Islamic State’s objective of eradicating the Yazidi faith entirely.

Brief Apology Before Sentencing

Asia R. offered only minimal acknowledgment before the verdict was announced, saying “I’m sorry.” Her husband declined to make any statement, simply declaring that he had nothing to say.

The life sentences handed down by the Munich court reflect the gravity of the crimes and Germany’s commitment to prosecuting individuals responsible for atrocities committed against religious minorities in the Middle East, particularly the Yazidi community that faced systematic extermination attempts by ISIS between 2014 and 2017.

The case represents one of several prosecutions in Germany targeting individuals who participated in ISIS crimes, as German courts have taken jurisdiction over such cases under universal jurisdiction principles for the most serious international crimes.

With information from Nius

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.