France’s Minister of Justice has announced that the government will intervene should French Islamic State members be sentenced to death in Iraq for their activities.
Thirteen French Islamic State fighters face trial in Iraq after being captured in Syria and under Iraqi law, the penalty for anyone caught providing material aid to Islamic State or other extremist organisations is death, Le Parisien reports.
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said that the French would allow the Iraqis to judge the foreign fighters but would insist on imposing a limit which would not allow the use of the death penalty.
” There are French adults who have knowingly gone on the battlefield, it is not illogical that they are responsible for their actions where they committed them,” Belloubet said.
“We are on the one hand ensuring that the rights of defence are ensured and on the other hand the French who are entitled to consular protection. We, therefore, will ensure the minimum of respect for the right to a fair trial,” she added.
The upcoming trials are just the latest of foreign fighters from Europe. Last year, the Iraqi courts sentenced French national Melina Boughedir to life in prison for being a member of Islamic State.
During the trial, the 27-year-old’s lawyers complained that the French government had worked proactively to stop her and other jihadists from returning to France.
Earlier this month, authorities revealed that France could be looking at hundreds of possible returning Islamic State members with the state services estimating there could be as many as 300 men, 300 women, and 500 children waiting to be repatriated.
Germany’s Linda Wenzel was also put on trial for joining the Islamic State by Iraqi authorities and was sentenced to six years in prison for various charges including entering the country illegally to join the terror group.