Swiss parliament recognizes Yezidi genocide
In response to this significant development, Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Coordinator for International Advocacy, expressed profound gratitude.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – On Dec. 17, the Swiss Parliament took a historic step by officially recognizing the atrocities committed by ISIS against the Yezidi community as genocide. This decision is a pivotal moment in the international pursuit of justice for the Yezidis, a minority group that endured unspeakable violence during ISIS’s reign of terror.
In response to this significant development, Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Coordinator for International Advocacy, expressed profound gratitude. “We warmly welcome the Swiss Parliament's recognition of the Yezidi genocide carried out by ISIS,” Zebari stated. “This landmark decision is a crucial step toward securing justice and accountability for the horrific crimes committed against the Yezidi community, as well as ensuring compensation for the victims of terrorism.”
Zebari highlighted the KRG's enduring efforts on both national and international platforms to have ISIS's actions formally recognized as genocide. He emphasized the importance of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS (UNITAD), established in 2017 under UN Security Council Resolution 2697. Since its inception, the Kurdistan Region has played a vital role in supporting UNITAD’s mission to investigate, document, and prosecute ISIS atrocities.
“The Kurdistan Region has collaborated extensively with UNITAD, documenting over 42,000 files, encompassing 408,540 pages of evidence related to ISIS crimes,” Zebari revealed. These materials, digitized to ensure thorough accountability, represent a monumental effort to preserve the truth and seek justice for the victims.
He further noted the successful transfer of these critical documents to the KRG. “In compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2697, UNITAD has shared these documents with the KRG, amounting to 45.95 gigabytes in the first batch and 11.9 gigabytes in the second. These include investigations with ISIS terrorists and contributions from legal experts, forensic specialists, and analysts within the KRG,” Zebari detailed.
The Swiss Parliament's decision adds to the growing international recognition of the Yezidi genocide. To date, more than 17 national parliaments have officially acknowledged the systematic atrocities committed by ISIS against the Yezidi people.
This recognition not only honors the memory of the victims but also reinforces the global commitment to justice and accountability, ensuring that the Yezidi community receives the compensation and support they rightfully deserve.
