KRG Welcomes Swiss Parliament's Recognition of ISIS Crimes Against Yazidis as Genocide

On Tuesday, 17 December 2024, the Swiss Parliament unanimously recognised the acts committed by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidi community as genocide.

Dindar Zebari, the Coordinator for International Advocacy at the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), welcomed the Swiss Parliament's recognition of the atrocities as acts of genocide. He described the decision as a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice and accountability for the crimes committed against the Yazidi community. Zebari also underscored the importance of compensating the victims of these acts of terrorism.

The Coordinator for International Advocacy added that the KRG has, in recent years, worked locally, nationally and internationally to have these crimes recognised as genocide. As part of this effort, the KRG has supported the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh (UNITAD) since its establishment, assisting in the investigation and documentation of these crimes. In collaboration with UNITAD, the KRG has documented 42,000 files, comprising 408,540 pages of digital records detailing ISIS crimes.

Zebari confirmed that, upon the completion of UNITAD’s mission, these documents were transferred to the KRG in accordance with United Nations Security Resolution 2697. The materials were obtained through investigation involving ISIS criminal members and were complied by investigators, legal experts, forensic specialists, and analysts.

The Swiss Parliament has officially recognised the crimes committed by ISIS against the Yazidi Kurds as genocide. To date, 17 countries have acknowledged these crimes as acts of genocide.