Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation to establish an international tribunal to prosecute Daesh fighters for genocide and other crimes set out in the Council of Europe report of Special Rapporteur, Pieter Omtzigt, Prosecuting and punishing the crimes against humanity or even possible genocide committed by Daesh, published on 22 September 2017.

The Government is proud to be at the forefront of global efforts to bring Daesh to justice. In 2017, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted the UK-drafted United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2379, which requests the Secretary General to establish an Investigative Team to gather evidence of Daesh crimes, beginning in Iraq. Evidence gathered by that team can support later prosecutions.

In many cases, prosecutions for any Daesh crimes will be best left to national authorities. Indeed, under UNSCR 2379, Iraq remains the 'primary intended recipient' for the evidence collected by the team. However, it is too early at this stage – and not for the UK alone – to determine what particular judicial mechanism will be appropriate in the future. The appropriate process will depend on the individual circumstances.