Kurdistan official leading rescue of Yezidis kidnapped by ISIS wins international award

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The office of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) dedicated to the rescue of members of the Yezidi (Ezidi) religious minority captured by the Islamic State starting in 2014 announced on Friday that its director, Hussein al-Qaidi, has been awarded the Sergio Vieira De Mello Prize for human rights.

The office said in a statement that the Polish Villa Decius Association awarded the accommodation to Qaidi from among ten others nominated from different countries in a virtual ceremony held the previous day, marking Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day which occurs annually on Dec. 10.

This is the seventeenth time that the award has been granted. It is named after Sérgio Vieira de Mello, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights between 2002 and 2003, when he became the UN's Special Representative to Iraq.

On Aug. 19, 2003, de Mello and 21 others were killed when a suicide truck bombing destroyed a hotel in Baghdad that was being used as the UN's headquarters in Iraq.

The prize is awarded yearly in Poland to individuals and organizations which promote human rights and dialogue.

"We are proud of this distinguished honor, which came as an appreciation for the relentless humanitarian efforts and services that are conducted on the ground," referring to Qaidi, who it said, "contributed a great role in promoting the operations of rescuing the kidnapped Ezidis, and serving the survivors of the terrorist group ISIS through his work,” the statement added.

The statement pointed out that Qaidi’s “work and efforts deserve praise,” as he has tirelessly worked to rescue Ezidis that were taken by the terrorist group and has provided “unlimited support to alleviate the suffering and harm the Ezidis have suffered."

In his acceptance speech, he thanked award officials and the office of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, which funds the office. He also brought attention to the role of his staff who he said supported him in his work and concluded by pledging to continue this approach.

The office, created in August 2014, is based in the province of Duhok.

The emergence of the Islamic State and its violent assault on the Ezidi-majority city of Sinjar (Shingal), disputed by the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Ezidis. Most fled to the Kurdistan Region, while others resettled to neighboring countries in the region or Western states.

Others were not as lucky and remained stranded in the war zone, where they experienced atrocities and mass executions at the hands of the extremist group for years. Militants subjected women and girls to sexual slavery, kidnapped children, forced religious conversions, executed scores of men, and abused, sold, and trafficked females across areas they controlled in Iraq and Syria.

Editing by John J. Catherine