Image capture: Defendants pictured in Munich court.
A Munich Higher Regional Court convicted Twana H.S. and his wife Asia R.A. of enslaving and repeatedly raping two Yazidi girls while they were members of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq between 2015 and 2017. The court found them guilty of genocide, war crimes and severe sexual abuse of children, reflecting Germany’s application of universal jurisdiction for crimes committed abroad.
Twana H.S., who first arrived in Germany as an asylum seeker, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Asia R.A. received a juvenile sentence of nine and a half years. Both were confirmed as IS members on charges that the group sought to destroy the Yazidi religion.
The couple purchased a five‑year‑old Yazidi girl at a bazaar in Mosul in late 2015 and a twelve‑year‑old girl in October 2017. Prosecutors describe Twana H.S. as repeatedly raping both children. Asia R.A. assisted by making makeup on one girl and preparing a room for him, while both forced the girls into household work and barred them from practicing their faith.
Physical abuse included beatings with solid objects and, in one instance, Asia R.A. scalding a younger girl's hand with hot water. During testimony, the eldest girl recounted beatings, forced labour and repeated rapes, while the second girl's whereabouts remain unknown.
The defendants, who were married according to Islamic law in Iraq, are now separated. Asia R.A. expressed remorse, saying “I’m sorry” at the conclusion of the trial; Twana H.S. remained silent. The case underscores Germany’s determination to hold perpetrators accountable for the suffering of Yazidi minorities, and serves as a warning against future atrocities.
