Rejna Alaaldin

This ruling was not just a case – it was a message.

In a historic first for England and Wales, a man was convicted for conspiring to commit FGM by orchestrating a trip to Iraq. This ruling set a powerful precedent: cross-border gender-based violence will not escape prosecution.

I provided legal opinion to support this prosecution, a critical element in establishing that FGM is a criminal offence. Collaborating with King’s Counsel on a case of this scale and significance was a rare and meaningful opportunity to help shape the legal framework for accountability.

The outcome: a substantial sentence later increased on appeal. But more importantly, the case reaffirmed that the law can, and must, reach across borders to protect the most vulnerable.