A high-profile case has concluded in Spain involving two women who were repatriated from Syria with their children in early 2023. The National Court has ruled that both must serve three years in prison for their involvement with the terrorist organization DAESH. They are scheduled to report to prison at the end of September, and if they fail to appear voluntarily, an arrest warrant will be issued.
After the verdict became final, following a plea agreement and the convicts’ decision not to appeal, the defense sought to postpone the sentence. However, the judge rejected the request, as the law only allows for a stay of execution for sentences of up to two years.
According to the court, Yalanda Martínez and Luna Fernández knowingly traveled to DAESH-controlled territory to join their husbands and support their activities. The investigation established that both women played a significant role in the women’s branch of the so-called Al-Andalus Brigade, which was linked to the recruitment of militants in Madrid. Their husbands held different positions within DAESH: one served as a member of the religious court, while the other took part in combat operations.
In exchange for pleading guilty and cooperating with the authorities, the prosecution and representatives of the victims agreed to reduce the prison sentence from the original six to eight years to three. In addition to the prison term, both women were given five years of supervision after release, mandatory participation in a deradicalization program, and a seven-year ban on working in the education sector.
Court documents indicate that the women did not hide their allegiance to the DAESH ideology, and only wanted to return to Spain after the group lost control over its territories and living conditions in the Al-Hol camp in Syria deteriorated. The case file also notes that the children of both women grew up in an environment with a strict religious doctrine, which became the subject of a separate expert analysis.
After beginning their sentences, the convicted women will be able to petition for transfer to a less restrictive regime; however, the final decision will rest with the special court overseeing the enforcement of sentences.
