German Court Punishes Iraqi Couple for Crimes

Jul 13, 2026, 13:33
EuropeWorld
A2

German Court Punishes Iraqi Couple for Crimes

德國法院對伊拉克夫婦的罪行進行懲處

Introduction

A court in Munich punished a man and a woman from Iraq. They were members of the Islamic State (IS).

慕尼黑的一家法院懲處了一名來自伊拉克的男子和一名女子。他們是「伊斯蘭國」(IS) 的成員。

Main Body

The couple bought two Yezidi girls between 2015 and 2017. The girls were five and twelve years old. The couple made the girls work hard. They hurt the girls and treated them very badly.

這對夫婦在2015年至2017年之間買了兩名雅茲迪女孩。女孩們當時分別五歲和十二歲。這對夫婦強迫女孩們辛苦工作，並傷害她們，對她們非常殘酷。

The man, Twana H.S., must stay in prison for his whole life. The woman, Asia R.A., must stay in prison for nine and a half years. The court says these crimes are genocide. This means they tried to destroy a group of people.

男子 Twana H.S. 必須終身監禁。女子 Asia R.A. 則被判監九年半。法院表示這些罪行屬於種族滅絕，這意味著他們企圖摧毀一個特定族群。

Germany can judge these crimes even if they happened in another country. The woman said she was sorry. The man did not speak to the court. The girls told the court about their pain.

即使罪行發生在另一個國家，德國依然可以進行審判。該名女子表示道歉。該名男子則未向法院發言。女孩們在法院描述了她們所承受的痛苦。

Conclusion

The couple is in prison in Bavaria. This shows that Germany will punish people who work for IS.

這對夫婦目前在巴伐利亞監獄服刑。這顯示德國將會懲處任何為 IS 工作的人。

Vocabulary Learning

🕰️ Past vs. Present

Look at how the story changes time. This is the secret to A2 English.

The Past (What happened) Use these words to talk about finished actions:

  • Bought (from buy) →\rightarrow "The couple bought two girls."
  • Were (from are) →\rightarrow "The girls were five years old."
  • Told (from tell) →\rightarrow "The girls told the court."

The Present (What is happening now) Use these for facts or current situations:

  • Is →\rightarrow "The couple is in prison."
  • Says →\rightarrow "The court says these crimes are genocide."

💡 Vocabulary Boost: Power Words

Instead of just saying "bad," use these specific A2 words from the text:

  • Punish: To give a penalty for a crime.
  • Destroy: To break something completely.
  • Treat: How you act toward another person (e.g., treated them badly).

🛠️ Grammar Hack: "Must"

When something is a strict rule or a law, use Must + Action:

  • "Must stay" →\rightarrow No choice, they have to stay.

Vocabulary Learning

punished (v.)
To make someone suffer because they did something wrong.
Example:The teacher punished the student for talking in class.
treated (v.)
The way you behave toward or deal with someone.
Example:She treated her dog with a lot of love.
prison (n.)
A building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime.
Example:The thief had to go to prison for two years.
genocide (n.)
The crime of killing a large group of people, especially a specific nation or race.
Example:The world must work together to stop genocide.
destroy (v.)
To damage something so badly that it cannot be used or no longer exists.
Example:The fire will destroy the whole building.
judge (v.)
To decide if someone is guilty or innocent in a court.
Example:The court will judge the man tomorrow.
B2

Iraqi Couple Convicted in Germany for Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

一對伊拉克夫婦在德國因種族滅絕與反人類罪被定罪

Introduction

The Munich Higher Regional Court has sentenced an Iraqi couple for their roles in the enslavement of Yezidi children and their membership in the Islamic State (IS).

慕尼黑高等地區法院已對一對伊拉克夫婦判刑，原因是以往將雅齊地兒童奴化，且為「伊斯蘭國」（IS）成員。

Main Body

The trial focused on the purchase and abuse of two Yezidi girls between 2015 and 2017. The male defendant, Twana H.S., who previously lived and worked as a hairdresser in Munich, was sentenced to life in prison. His wife, Asia R.A., received a juvenile sentence of nine and a half years. The court found that the couple bought a five-year-old and a twelve-year-old girl, forcing them to work and subjecting them to severe physical and sexual violence. Furthermore, evidence showed that Asia R.A. helped her husband commit these crimes and physically harmed the younger child.

審理重點在於 2015 年至 2017 年間購買並虐待兩名雅齊地女孩的行為。男被告 Twana H.S. 曾居住於慕尼黑並擔任美髮師，被判處終身監禁。其妻子 Asia R.A. 則被判處九年半的青少年刑期。法院認定該夫婦購買了一名五歲和一名十二歲的女孩，強迫她們工作並對其施以嚴重的身體與性暴力。此外，證據顯示 Asia R.A. 協助其丈夫犯下這些罪行，並對較年幼的孩子造成身體傷害。

These convictions are part of a larger effort to address the 2014 IS campaign against the Yezidi minority, which Germany officially recognized as genocide in 2023. The prosecution emphasized that the defendants' actions supported the Islamic State's goal to destroy the Yezidi faith. The judge explained that the legal definition of genocide was met because the children were forcibly moved from one group to another, even if they were not killed.

這些定罪是更大規模行動的一部分，旨在處理 2014 年「伊斯蘭國」針對雅齊地少數民族的攻擊，德國於 2023 年正式將其認定為種族滅絕。檢方強調，被告的行為支持了「伊斯蘭國」摧毀雅齊地信仰的目標。法官解釋，由於兒童被強行從一個群體移至另一個群體，即使沒有被殺死，仍符合種族滅絕的法律定義。

Germany was able to hold this trial using 'universal jurisdiction,' which allows the country to prosecute international crimes committed outside its own borders. During the trial, Asia R.A. expressed regret and claimed she had been a victim of her husband's abuse. In contrast, Twana H.S. refused to speak to the court. The victims described a terrifying environment of psychological and physical torture, highlighting how they were treated as less than human during their captivity.

德國能夠舉行此次審判是利用了「普遍管轄權」，允許該國起訴在國境之外發生的國際罪行。在審判期間，Asia R.A. 表示後悔，並聲稱自己是丈夫虐待的受害者。相比之下，Twana H.S. 拒絕向法院陳述。受害者描述了當時令人恐懼的心理與身體折磨環境，強調她們在被囚禁期間被視為非人類地對待。

Conclusion

The defendants have remained in custody since April 2024 in Bavaria, setting an important legal example for holding IS members accountable under German law.

被告自 2024 年 4 月起一直被拘留於巴伐利亞，為在德國法律下追究「伊斯蘭國」成員責任樹立了重要的法律先例。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The Power Shift: From 'Doing' to 'Being Done To'

At the A2 level, you describe actions simply: "The couple hurt the girls." To reach B2, you must master The Passive Voice. This allows you to shift the focus from the person doing the action to the person affected by it.

🔍 Spotted in the Text

Look at how the article changes the focus to highlight the victims and the legal process:

  • *"...the children were forcibly moved from one group to another..."
  • *"...how they were treated as less than human..."
  • "The defendants have remained in custody..."

🛠️ How to build this (The B2 Blueprint)

Instead of saying [Person] →\rightarrow [Action] →\rightarrow [Object], we flip it: [Object] →\rightarrow [Be Verb] →\rightarrow [Past Participle].

Example Evolution:

  • A2 (Simple): "The court sentenced the couple."
  • B2 (Sophisticated): "The couple was sentenced by the court."

💡 Why this matters for your fluency

In professional or legal English, we often don't know who did the action, or the action itself is more important than the person. Using the passive voice makes you sound objective, formal, and precise.

Quick Guide for Usage:

  • Past Simple Passive: Was/Were + Verb-ed →\rightarrow "The girls were bought." (A finished event in the past).
  • Present Perfect Passive: Has/Have been + Verb-ed →\rightarrow "The crime has been recognized as genocide." (An action that happened at an unspecified time and still matters now).

Coach's Tip: Whenever you see a sentence where the 'victim' or 'object' comes first, you are looking at a B2-level structure. Start replacing your "Subject + Verb" sentences with these to sound more like a native speaker.

Vocabulary Learning

convicted (v.)
To be declared guilty of a crime by a court of law.
Example:The man was convicted of fraud after a long trial.
enslavement (n.)
The action of making someone a slave.
Example:The international community fought against the enslavement of refugees.
subjecting (v.)
Causing someone to experience something unpleasant, such as pain or hardship.
Example:The prisoners were subjected to harsh conditions during the winter.
prosecution (n.)
The legal process of accusing someone of a crime and bringing them to trial.
Example:The prosecution presented strong evidence to prove the defendant's guilt.
jurisdiction (n.)
The official power to make legal decisions and judgments over a specific area or person.
Example:The court does not have jurisdiction over crimes committed in another country.
captivity (n.)
The condition of being imprisoned or confined.
Example:The animals were born in captivity and had never seen the wild.
accountable (adj.)
Required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
Example:Politicians must be held accountable for the promises they make during elections.
C2

Conviction of Iraqi Nationals in Germany for Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

德國判定伊拉克國民犯有種族滅絕與反人類罪

Introduction

The Munich Higher Regional Court has issued verdicts against an Iraqi couple for their involvement in the enslavement of Yezidi minors and membership in the Islamic State (IS).

慕尼黑高等地區法院已對一對伊拉克夫婦作出判決，其涉嫌將雅ezidi族未成年人奴化，並為伊斯蘭國 (IS) 成員。

Main Body

The judicial proceedings centered on the acquisition and abuse of two Yezidi girls between 2015 and 2017. The male defendant, Twana H.S., a former Munich resident and hairdresser, was sentenced to life imprisonment. His spouse, Asia R.A., received a juvenile sentence of nine and a half years. The court established that the defendants procured a five-year-old and a twelve-year-old girl, subjecting them to forced labor, religious prohibition, and severe physical and sexual violence. Evidence indicated that Asia R.A. facilitated these abuses, including the preparation of victims for the husband's sexual assaults and the infliction of thermal injuries upon the younger child.

此司法程序集中於 2015 年至 2017 年間，購買並虐待兩名雅ezidi族女孩的事件。男被告 Twana H.S. 為前慕尼黑居民兼美髮師，被判處終身監禁。其配偶 Asia R.A. 則被判處九年半的青少年刑期。法院認定被告購買了一名五歲及一名十二歲女孩，強迫其從事勞動、禁止其信仰，並施加嚴重的身體與性暴力。證據顯示 Asia R.A. 協助促成這些虐待行為，包括為丈夫的性侵 assaulting 準備受害者，並對較年幼的孩子造成灼傷。

These convictions are situated within the broader context of the 2014 IS campaign against the Yezidi minority, which the German government formally recognized as genocide in 2023. The prosecution asserted that the defendants' actions were aligned with the institutional objective of the Islamic State to eradicate the Yezidi faith. The presiding judge clarified that the legal threshold for genocide was met through the forced transfer of children between groups, regardless of whether lethal violence occurred.

這些定罪處於 2014 年 IS 針對雅ezidi族少數群體行動的 broader 背景之下，德國政府於 2023 年正式將其認定為種族滅絕。控方主張，被告的行為符合伊斯蘭國剷除雅ezidi信仰的制度目標。主審法官澄清，無論是否發生致命暴力，只要將兒童強行在群體之間轉移，即已達到種族滅絕的法律門檻。

Jurisdictional authority for the trial was exercised via the principle of universal jurisdiction, permitting the prosecution of international crimes committed outside German territory. While Asia R.A. expressed remorse and claimed prior victimization by her husband, Twana H.S. declined to provide a statement to the court. The victims' testimonies detailed a regime of psychological torment and physical brutality, with one survivor noting the dehumanization inherent in their captivity.

審判的管轄權是透過「普遍管轄權」原則行使，允許檢察機關起訴在德國領土之外發生的國際罪行。雖然 Asia R.A. 表達悔意並聲稱先前亦遭丈夫虐待，但 Twana H.S. 拒絕向法院發表聲明。受害者的證詞詳細描述了心理折磨與身體殘暴的政權，一名倖存者指出被囚禁期間 inherent 的非人化對待。

Conclusion

The defendants remain in custody following their April 2024 detention in Bavaria, marking a legal precedent for the accountability of IS affiliates under German law.

被告於 2024 年 4 月在巴伐利亞被拘留後至今仍被監禁，這為德國法律下追究 IS 關聯人士的責任創下法律先例。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Legal Detachment: Nominalization and Agency

To move from B2 to C2, a student must move beyond describing events to framing them. This text provides a masterclass in The Rhetoric of Judicial Distance. At the C2 level, the goal is to master the ability to convey extreme brutality through an almost clinical, detached linguistic lens, which paradoxically increases the perceived authority of the text.

◈ The Pivot: Nominalization vs. Verbal Action

Observe how the text avoids simplistic subject-verb-object patterns in favor of complex noun phrases.

  • B2 approach: "The court decided that the defendants were guilty because they took children from one group and moved them to another."
  • C2 implementation: "...the legal threshold for genocide was met through the forced transfer of children between groups."

By transforming the action (transferring children) into a noun phrase (the forced transfer of children), the writer shifts the focus from the act to the legal category. This is the essence of academic and legal English: the "nominalization" of violence to facilitate judicial analysis.

◈ Precision in Collocational Clusters

C2 mastery is found in the precision of modifiers. Note these specific pairings that create a formal, forensic atmosphere:

  • "Jurisdictional authority" →\rightarrow Not just 'power' or 'right', but the specific legal mandate to judge.
  • "Institutional objective" →\rightarrow Removes the human element, attributing the crime to a systemic goal rather than mere personal malice.
  • "Dehumanization inherent in..." →\rightarrow Use of inherent suggests that the brutality was not accidental but a fundamental property of the captivity.

◈ The Nuance of 'Permitting' and 'Exercising'

Notice the verb choice in the third paragraph: "Jurisdictional authority... was exercised via the principle of universal jurisdiction, permitting the prosecution..."

In B2 English, we use allow. In C2 Legal English, we permit via the exercise of a principle. The agent is not a person, but a concept (Universal Jurisdiction). This "conceptual agency" is what separates a proficient speaker from a master of the language.

Vocabulary Learning

procured (v.)
Obtained something, especially with care or effort, or acquired a person through illicit means.
Example:The investigation revealed how the traffickers procured the victims from vulnerable regions.
infliction (n.)
The act of causing something unpleasant or painful to be suffered by someone.
Example:The report detailed the systematic infliction of pain on prisoners of war.
eradicate (v.)
To destroy completely; to put an end to something.
Example:The regime sought to eradicate all traces of the indigenous culture and language.
presiding (adj.)
Being in the position of authority in a court of law or a meeting.
Example:The presiding judge ensured that all legal protocols were strictly followed during the trial.
jurisdictional (adj.)
Relating to the official power to make legal decisions and judgments over a specific area or person.
Example:The lawyers debated whether the court had the jurisdictional authority to hear a case involving foreign citizens.
dehumanization (n.)
The process of depriving a person or group of positive human qualities.
Example:The survivor spoke about the dehumanization she experienced, being treated as property rather than a person.
affiliates (n.)
Persons or organizations officially attached or connected to a larger body.
Example:Intelligence agencies are monitoring the local affiliates of the terrorist organization.
Practice All words in a crossword→