An Iraqi court yesterday jailed a French woman for 20 years for belonging to the Islamic State group, as her lawyers accused authorities in Paris of "interference" to prevent her returning to France.

Melina Boughedir, a mother of four, was sentenced last February to seven months in prison for "illegal" entry into the country, and was set to be deported back to France.

But another court ordered the re-trial of the 27-year-old French citizen under Iraq's anti-terror law.

Yesterday, she was found guilty of belonging to IS and handed a life sentence -- which in Iraq is equivalent to 20 years.

"I am innocent," Boughedir told the judge in French.