Pregnant woman who self-immolated released
An eight-month pregnant 27-year-old Afghan woman on Lesvos facing arson charges after she set fire to herself at the eastern Aegean island’s temporary migrant camp on February 21 was released from detention on Friday on the condition that she doesn’t leave the country.
She still faces criminal charges and must remain in Greece pending trial. Her hearing took place at the hospital where she is still being treated for burns to her arms, legs and back.
The defense attorneys for the 27-year-old claimed that the charge of intentional arson was not substantiated.
They stressed that the fire was immediately extinguished by other asylum seekers before the fire service arrived and did not spread to other tents, while no one else was placed in harm’s way.
The woman reportedly set herself on fire out of frustration after learning that her request for family relocation to Germany would be delayed. She told the court her family’s relocation to Germany was her “only ray of light.”
