Daesh - Justice and accountability

In 2013/14, Daesh (also known as Islamic State, ISIS, ISIL), a non-state actor and terror  organisation, unleashed a genocidal campaign against the Yazidis and other religious  minorities in Iraq and also in Syria. On 3 August 2014, Daesh attacked the Yazidis in  Sinjar, and so began some of the most egregious atrocities against the community, as  seen in recent years. They brought about this genocide by way of murder,  enslavement, deportation and forcible transfer of populations, imprisonment, torture,  abduction of women and children, exploitation, abuse, rape, sexual violence, and  forced marriage, among others. These atrocities have been widely reported on by the  United Nations and other actors. To this day, over 2,700 women and children are still missing, after they were abducted by Daesh in 2014. If alive, it is considered that they  continue to be enslaved and subjected to a litany of abuses. Following the attack on  Sinjar, Daesh also attacked many villages in Ninevah Plains and forced over 120,000  Christians to flee to Kurdistan.

Daesh specifically targeted religious minorities such as Yazidis, Christians, Shabak  communities and others for destruction in an attempt to annihilate religious pluralism,  and with an intent to destroy their distinct ethno-religious identities. Daesh specifically  targeted religious minority women and girls, subjected them to abductions, forcible  conversions, forcible marriage, rape and sexual violence, reproductive violence and  much more.

Some steps have been taken to address the atrocities by Daesh. However, these efforts  have often been fragmented and inadequate to leave victims and survivors with a  feeling of justice. In 2024, the world will mark the 10th anniversary of the Daesh  atrocities, and specifically, of the genocidal atrocities and crimes against humanity  against the Yazidis, Christians and other religious or belief minorities. The time leading  to the occasion of the 10th anniversary in August 2024 should be used to revive the  efforts to address the horrific atrocities perpetrated by Daesh, and secure deliverable  commitments from States and the international community.

This report focuses on steps taken in recent years to ensure justice and accountability,  the gaps among them, and steps that need to be taken to strengthen the legal system in Iraq. The report aims to provide practical recommendations for States on what can  and should be done to assist in the pursuit of justice and accountability for the Daesh  atrocities.