سەما تیڤی

Yazidis Reject Amnesty Law: A Chance for ISIS to Escape Justice

Sema

The Yazidis of Sinjar have expressed their rejection of the amendment to the General Amnesty Law, considering it an opportunity for members of ISIS to evade justice.

In a statement issued on Saturday, January 25, 2025, on behalf of the Yazidi community, the victims of the 2014 genocide by ISIS, the Yazidi resistance fighters in Mount Sinjar, Yazidi political parties, civil society organizations, and all segments of society, it was declared:
“We strongly oppose and condemn the second amendment to the General Amnesty Law No. (27) of 2016, recently passed by the Iraqi Parliament.”

The statement emphasized that the amendment includes provisions allowing members of ISIS, who committed heinous crimes against humanity, including genocide targeting Yazidis in Sinjar and other regions, to escape accountability.

“For the past ten years since the genocide in Sinjar, we have been striving for transitional justice for ourselves and all Iraqis,” the statement added, noting that the passage of this law came as a severe blow.
While they support any law or decision that seeks justice for innocent detainees, the statement highlighted, “this law flagrantly violates human values, moral principles, and constitutional and legal standards in Iraq.”

The statement further criticized the law as the result of a political deal between major Iraqi factions, stating that it disregards victims’ rights, undermines justice, and betrays Iraqi minorities who have suffered neglect and marginalization.

“Such agreements endanger Iraq’s social fabric and undermine efforts for national reconciliation, which must be built on justice and accountability to address the past,” the statement asserted.

The Yazidi community questioned how true reconciliation could be achieved when perpetrators are granted amnesty while victims’ rights and the suffering of bereaved families are ignored.
They called on the President of Iraq not to ratify the law and urged the Federal Supreme Court to review the law’s constitutionality and respond to parliamentary appeals to revise the legislation and exclude all individuals involved in terrorist acts.

The statement demanded that all those who contributed to, participated in, or supported these crimes be held accountable in line with Iraq’s international obligations to combat terrorism and prevent impunity.

“Justice for Yazidi victims, the victims of Speicher, and all Iraqis who suffered from ISIS terrorism requires strict accountability, not laws that grant amnesty,” the statement said, appealing to the international community and human rights organizations to support their just cause.

In 2014, the Yazidi community suffered genocide at the hands of ISIS, which perpetrated mass killings, kidnappings, rape, and forced displacement in Sinjar and surrounding areas. These crimes, described as some of the worst atrocities in modern Iraq, drew widespread international condemnation.

Since then, Yazidis have sought justice through the prosecution of those responsible, reconstruction of Sinjar, the return of displaced persons, and national reconciliation.

However, on January 21, 2025, the Iraqi Parliament passed the second amendment to the General Amnesty Law No. (27) of 2016, allowing for the potential release of individuals involved in acts of terrorism. This decision has sparked outrage, particularly among Yazidis, who view it as a betrayal of genocide victims and an affront to transitional justice efforts pursued over the past decade.

The issue presents Iraq with a significant challenge in balancing justice for victims with social cohesion, amid calls to reconsider the law to ensure accountability for those responsible for terrorist crimes and prevent impunity.

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