The United Nations urged the International Criminal Court to prosecute the Islamic State for a series of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide against the Yezidi community.
Through interviews with more than 100 survivors and witnesses, a report from the Human Rights Council found that the Islamic State conducted mass executions of Yezidis and destroyed their homes. The report found that men and boys over the age of 14 were executed, while women — one as young as 6 years old — were often treated as “spoils of war” and sold into sexual slavery or raped.
The report also found that Islamic State fighters performed abortions on two Yezidi women, allegedly saying “we do not want more Yezidis to be born.”
The report found that Shia and Christian communities also faced violence from the Islamic State.
The report also found that the Islamic State may have used chlorine gas against Iraqi soldiers, which is categorized as a chemical weapon and prohibited under international law.
As a result of its findings, the council recommended that the United Nations “call on the Security Council to consider referring the situation in Iraq to the International Criminal Court.”
The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, tries cases referred by the United Nations where international laws are violated or war crimes are committed.
The report looked at incidents between June 2014 and February 2015.
• Jacqueline Klimas can be reached at jklimas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.