Breaking: Woman accused of owning slave in Syria refused bail

Melbourne woman Zeinab Ahmad, accused of owning a Yazidi slave, refused bail Wed 17 Jun 2026 at 3:08pm A woman accused of slavery offences while supporting the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria has had her bail application refused. It is alleged Ms Ahmad ordered a slave to do chores and prevented her from leaving the house, after the accused's father purchased the Yazidi teenager for $US10,000. The court heard the alleged victim described Ms Ahmad as like the "deputy" of the house. While the AFP allege Ms Ahmad badly "mistreated" the girl, it is not alleged she physically assaulted her. Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan said "exceptional circumstances" were needed for bail given Ms Ahmad's past support of IS. The chief magistrate said these circumstances had not been reached given Ms Ahmad had not shown compelling evidence of renouncing support for the organisation. Ms Ahmad is facing two slavery charges, each carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years. It's the first time that crimes against humanity have been tested in the Australian judicial system, with each of the two charges carrying up to 25 years' jail. The AFP argued Ms Ahmad had not renounced her support for IS and posed an unacceptable risk to the community if she were released on bail. Loading