Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. Charged with Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
In a significant legal proceeding involving international crimes, two individuals, Twana H.S. and Asia R.A., have faced severe charges in Germany for their actions while members of the Islamic State (IS). The case highlights the pursuit of justice for victims of the Yazidi genocide, focusing on the enslavement and abuse of children.
Background of the Accused
Twana H.S. is a Kurd originally from Byara, a town in Iraqi Kurdistan near the Iranian border. Having arrived in Germany as an asylum seeker in the early 2000s, he settled in Munich and worked as a hairdresser in the Schwabing district. However, he later became radicalized at a Salafist mosque—a movement characterized by a strict, literalist interpretation of Islam.
Asia R.A., also an Iraqi Kurd, hails from the town of Hawija in the Kirkuk province. The couple met within territory controlled by the Islamic State, where they married before returning to Germany together in 2018.
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Allegations of Enslavement and Abuse
According to the Federal Public Prosecutor General (Generalbundesanwalt or GBA), the couple utilized their membership in IS to hold two Yazidi girls as slaves. The prosecution alleges that in 2015, Twana H.S. purchased a five-year-old Yazidi girl from a slave market in Mosul, reportedly at the request of his wife. In 2017, the couple acquired a second Yazidi girl, aged twelve, from a military base in al-Bukamal, located in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province.
The children were subjected to forced household labor and childcare and were strictly forbidden from practicing their own religion. The GBA reports that the couple employed harsh physical violence to punish perceived misbehavior, including beatings with hard objects. In one specific instance, Asia R.A. is accused of scalding the younger girl's hand with hot water.
The charges include severe sexual violence; Twana H.S. is accused of repeatedly raping both children. Asia R.A. is alleged to have facilitated these assaults by preparing the room and, on one occasion, applying make-up to one of the girls prior to the abuse.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
On December 9, 2024, the GBA filed an indictment before the State Security Chamber (Staatsschutzsenat) of the OLG München (Higher Regional Court of Munich). The defendants were charged with a wide array of grave offenses under the German Criminal Code (StGB) and the Code of Crimes against International Law (VStGB):
- Genocide (§6(1) VStGB)
- Crimes against humanity via enslavement and torture (§7(1) VStGB)
- War crimes against persons (§8(1) VStGB)
- Human trafficking (§232(3) StGB)
- Severe sexual abuse of children (§176(1) and §176a(2) no. 1 StGB)
- Membership in a foreign terrorist organisation (§129a and §129b StGB)
Both individuals were taken into custody on April 9, 2024—Twana H.S. in the district of Roth and Asia R.A. in Regensburg, Bavaria—and remained in pre-trial detention until the verdict.
Key Facts
- Defendants: Twana H.S. and Asia R.A., both Iraqi Kurds and former members of the Islamic State.
- Victims: Two Yazidi girls, aged five and twelve at the time of their acquisition.
- Primary Charges: Genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and human trafficking.
- Court: State Security Chamber of the OLG München.
- Prior Record: Twana H.S. had previously been sentenced to four years and three months for terrorist membership and preparing violent offenses.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Date of Indictment | December 9, 2024 |
| Date of Arrest | April 9, 2024 |
| Locations of Crime | Mosul (Iraq) and al-Bukamal (Syria) |
| Legal Jurisdiction | OLG München, Germany |
| Victim Ethnicity | Yazidi |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Twana H.S. and Asia R.A.?
They are Iraqi Kurds and former members of the Islamic State who lived in Germany. Twana H.S. had previously worked as a hairdresser in Munich before becoming radicalized.
What specific crimes are they accused of regarding the children?
They are accused of purchasing two Yazidi girls (aged five and twelve) from a slave market and a military base, forcing them into domestic labor, prohibiting their religion, and subjecting them to physical and sexual abuse.
What is the significance of the charges under the VStGB?
The VStGB (Code of Crimes against International Law) allows German courts to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, regardless of where the crimes were committed globally.
Did Twana H.S. have a prior criminal record in Germany?
Yes. Following his return to Germany in 2018, he was convicted of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and preparing a serious violent offense, receiving a sentence of four years and three months.
Where were the defendants arrested?
Twana H.S. was arrested in the district of Roth, and Asia R.A. was arrested in Regensburg, both located in the state of Bavaria.