Police Charge Two Australian Women Over Syrian Slavery

Two Australian women, Kawsar Ahmad, 53, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, 31, appeared in a Melbourne court on Monday, May 27, accused of slavery-related offences allegedly committed while they lived in Islamic State-controlled parts of Syria. Police allege the pair kept an enslaved woman in their home, and that Kawsar Ahmad was complicit in the purchase of another enslaved woman for US$10,000.

The women were arrested at Melbourne airport on Thursday, May 23, by officers from the Victorian joint counter-terrorism team.

According to police

According to police, the two women travelled to Syria in 2014 and the alleged offences took place between June 1, 2017, and November 1, 2018, in multiple locations in Syria’s Deir ez-Zur province. Court documents cited in reporting list Mayadin, Hajim, Gharanij, Bahra, Abu Hamam and Walaa among the locations.

Both women are charged with intentionally exercising powers associated with ownership over a person. Kawsar Ahmad also faces an additional charge of engaging in slave trading, relating to an alleged incident on or about June 1, 2017, in Mayadin or elsewhere in the same province.

The matter was heard briefly before chief magistrate Lisa Hannan. Neither woman was required to speak or enter a plea during the hearing, and neither applied for bail. They were remanded in custody.

Zeinab Ahmad is expected to apply for

Zeinab Ahmad is expected to apply for bail at a hearing on June 4, with Kawsar Ahmad’s bail application expected on June 16. The Australian federal police are expected to oppose bail and will allege the offences are terrorism-related.

The case is scheduled to return to court as the bail applications are heard next month.