Middle East: Crimes against Humanity

(asked on 19th December 2017) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in bringing proceedings against those alleged to be responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity against Yazidi, Christian and other minorities in Iraq and Syria; and in particular (1) collecting evidence, and (2) establishing judicial procedure.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 4th January 2018

Investigative and prosecutorial work is under way across the world to bring Daesh and those alleged to be responsible for genocide to justice. We are exploring, with international partners, all legal possibilities for investigating Daesh and holding them to account for their actions. We are working to implement UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR2379) which will establish an Investigative Team to collect, preserve and store evidence of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by Daesh, beginning in Iraq. The UK has committed £1 million to the establishment of this team.

The UK maintains support for the UN Commission of Inquiry which is reporting on human rights violations and abuses; and the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) which is preparing evidence for future prosecutions. In Iraq, the UK is supporting projects to document and preserve evidence of gender based violence.

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