The Joint Committee on Human Rights has announced a new inquiry
into accountability for Daesh crimes, following up on work done
in the previous Parliament.
Daesh, also known as Islamic State, ISIS or ISIL, grew to
prominence in the early 2010s, taking advantage of instability in
Syria and Iraq to control large parts of their territory. In its
campaigns, Daesh committed crimes including the persecution of
the Yazidis and targeting of women and girls. It is estimated
that 5,000 Yazidis were killed, while more than 200,000 Yazidis
were displaced from their homes and over 2,700 abductees remain
missing.
It is estimated that approximately 425 Daesh fighters have since
returned to the UK, but only around 32 individuals have been
convicted of terrorism offences in UK courts. None have been
convicted for international crimes, such as genocide. The UK
Government has also blocked some individuals from returning to
the UK, and deprived them of their citizenship.
The new inquiry will examine what obligations the UK Government
has under human rights law to respond to international crimes,
such as genocide or torture, including how the UK has held
individuals accountable for crimes committed in Syria or
Iraq.
To inform the inquiry, the Joint Committee on Human Rights has
written to government ministers, requesting further information
on its approach to dealing with the legacy of Daesh crimes. The
correspondence is available here:
· Correspondence from the
Committee to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Affairs
· Correspondence from the
Committee to the Secretary of State for the Home
Department
· Correspondence from the
Committee to the Lord Chancellor
