Australian authorities have charged two women linked to ISIS with slavery-related offences after they returned from Syria, where they had remained detained in refugee camps for more than seven years. Police arrested the women, aged 53 and 31, at Melbourne airport immediately after their arrival and launched further investigations into the serious allegations.
Officials said both women travelled to Syria with their families in 2014 and allegedly kept a female slave inside their homes during their time there. Authorities charged them with crimes against humanity, including owning and using a slave, offences carrying a maximum prison sentence of 25 years under Australian law.
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Meanwhile, Australian Federal Police confirmed that counterterrorism investigators continued examining the case because of its serious national security and human rights implications. Officials also stated that investigators were gathering additional evidence related to activities linked to ISIS during the women’s stay in Syria over recent years.
In a separate operation, police arrested another 32-year-old Australian woman at Sydney airport on terror-related charges after returning from Syria on Thursday. Authorities alleged that she travelled to Syria in 2015 to join her husband, who had previously left Australia and become associated with ISIS activities.
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The latest arrests have increased political pressure on Australia’s government following the planned return of four women and nine children from Syrian detention camps without official assistance. Critics argued that authorities failed to prevent their re-entry, although government officials maintained there were strict legal limits on blocking Australian citizens from returning home.
Following the territorial defeat of ISIS, thousands of relatives and supporters connected to suspected fighters remained held in camps across Syria under difficult conditions. Australia previously repatriated four women and 13 children from Syrian camps in 2022, while reports indicate around 21 Australians still remain detained at al-Roj camp.