Two Australian women accused of committing crimes against humanity, including slavery offences, during the period of Islamic State rule in Syria have appeared before a Melbourne court, according to reporting by the Guardian.
Kawsar Ahmad, 53, also known as Abbas, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, 31, were arrested by officers from the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team (JCTT) before being brought before the court. The charges relate to alleged conduct during the period when Islamic State controlled significant territory in Syria.
The case is among a small number of prosecutions in Australia involving alleged atrocities committed overseas under Islamic State rule, reflecting growing efforts by Australian authorities to pursue accountability for crimes committed by nationals who travelled to conflict zones.
Third Australian faces separate proceedings
The Melbourne case is unfolding alongside a separate matter in Sydney, where Janai Safar, 32, was due to appear in court on distinct charges that include allegedly joining a terrorist organisation, the Guardian reported.
The three cases signal a broader enforcement push by Australian counter-terrorism and law enforcement agencies against individuals linked to Islamic State who have returned to or remain in Australia.
Crimes against humanity charges in Australia
Prosecuting crimes against humanity for conduct occurring abroad is legally complex and relatively rare in Australian courts. Such charges require prosecutors to establish that the alleged acts formed part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.
Slavery-related offences in this context typically involve the alleged exercise of powers of ownership over individuals, a practice that Islamic State was widely documented to have carried out against minority populations, particularly Yazidi women and girls, during its peak territorial control between roughly 2014 and 2019.
Australian authorities have previously faced challenges in building prosecutions for overseas conduct, including difficulties obtaining evidence from active or former conflict zones and securing witness testimony from abroad.
The proceedings are ongoing. No findings of guilt have been made against any of the individuals named.
