UN accuses IS of carrying out genocide against Yazidis

(Baonghean.vn) - On Tuesday, October 21, UN Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic said that the attacks by the Islamic State (IS) against the Yazidis ethnic minority in Iraq could be considered genocide. Last week, Mr. Ivan Simonovic returned from Iraq after meeting with leaders and refugees in Erbil, Baghdad and Dahuk.

Thousands of Yazidis were executed, buried alive or sold into slavery after IS attacked Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq, according to witnesses. Photo: Hadi Mizban

Thousands of Yazidis from the Kurdish community have been executed, buried alive or sold into slavery by Sunni “devils” since IS attacked Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq over the past four months, according to eyewitness accounts. Tens of thousands have fled northern Iraq, fearing they will be killed for their faith. In recent issues, the IS jihadist newspaper Dabiq has claimed to be selling Yazidis women and children.

In a report released earlier this month, Human Rights Watch said the abductions and attacks on Yazidis civilians could amount to crimes against humanity.

It is known that the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. In the case of the Yazidis community, Mr. Ivan Simonovic affirmed that the actions of the IS organization could be accused of committing genocide against another religion.

Chu Thanh

According to LeMonde October 22