Conditional prison sentences for two sisters after traveling to IS
Published: Thursday, May 23rd 2024, 16:20
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The Federal Criminal Court has sentenced two sisters living in the canton of Vaud to conditional prison sentences for a stay in Syria with the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). The two women had traveled to Syria in 2015 with the underage son of one of them, but wanted to return to Switzerland after just three days.
The Criminal Chamber of the Federal Criminal Court found the women guilty of violating the IS/Al-Qaeda Act. On Thursday, it sentenced them to conditional custodial sentences of 18 and 14 months respectively.
The younger sister tried to join IS for the first time in November 2014 with her son, who was a minor at the time. They failed to cross the border from Turkey to Syria and returned to Switzerland.
Separated after arrival
On February 3, 2015, the sisters set off together with the minor. This time they managed to enter Syria. In a city controlled by IS, the sisters were accommodated in a foyer for women and separated from their son. The latter was taken to accommodation for men.
When the women expressed their wish to return to Switzerland with their son after three days, they were suspected of espionage. They were finally allowed to leave the country towards the end of March 2015. From June 2015 to February 2016, the younger sister sent a total of 6,300 francs to IS from Switzerland.
No expulsion from the country
A conviction for allegedly planning to attack the UN and Gay Pride in Zurich and Bern in the foyer in Syria does not emerge from the published verdict.
The women are of Tunisian origin. The older woman also has Swiss citizenship. The court has decided not to expel the younger one from the country. The sisters must undergo psychiatric treatment during the probationary period of three years. (Judgment SK.2023.26 of 23.5.2024)
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