August 3, 2023

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The United Kingdom Formally Acknowledges the Acts of Genocide Perpetrated by ISIS Against the Yazidi Community.

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In a historical move, on August 1st, the United Kingdom (UK) officially recognized the atrocities committed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in August 2014 against the Yazidis as acts of genocide. The UK's acknowledgement followed the consequential court ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice earlier this year, which found a former member of ISIS guilty of crimes of genocide against the Yazidis. The Yazidi genocide is now among the five instances of genocide that are officially recognized by the UK, which includes the Holocaust, Rwanda, Srebrenica, and acts of genocide in Cambodia and against the Yazidi people.

 

The recognition came two days prior to August 3rd, when the Yazidis commemorate the Yazidi Genocide and the atrocities the community suffered in 2014. The Yazidis are commemorating the ninth anniversary of the genocide, while many Yazidi captives are still missing, large numbers of the community still reside in camps, and several mass graves are yet to be excavated. The UK's recognition is an essential international acknowledgment and reaffirms the necessity to take action in order to bring justice for the Yazidis, rebuild and rehabilitate their lives, and combat terrorism and radicalism globally.

 

Bellwether International commends the UK's recognition of the genocide and extends its heartfelt support to the Yazidi community. As the Yazidis commemorate the ninth anniversary of the genocide, we continue to support the community in coping with the destructive impacts left by the genocide. We earnestly call upon the national government, international community, and civil societies to diligently strive for the protection of freedom of religion and belief, as well as to proactively prevent genocides and other crimes against humanity.