Ezidi Times

The Ezidis are one of the ancient peoples of the Middle East, with a distinct identity, language, culture, and religious tradition known as Sharfadin. This brief overview introduces their historical homeland, language, literature, and enduring identity as a people.

The Ezidis are one of the ancient peoples of the Middle East. According to estimates that still require clarification, the Ezidi population reaches up to one million people.

Most Ezidis live in their historical homeland, Ezidkhan. In northern Iraq, the regions of the areas surrounding , and . Ezidis also live in Syria, the Al-Hasakah Governorate, Qamishli, and Afrin. In Turkey,the regions around , and ), only a small number of Ezidis remain.

One of the largest Ezidi populations once lived in the former Soviet Union, particularly in Armenia and Georgia. Following the collapse of the USSR, many Ezidis relocated to Russia, Ukraine, and European Union countries. Large Ezidi populations can also be found in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

The native language of the Ezidis is Ezdiki and belongs to the western branch of the Iranian language group. A rich body of religious poetry exists in this language, including sacred texts such as and , which serve as important sources for the study of the Ezidi religion, Sharfadin. In addition to religious literature, there is also secular literature, much of which was created by Ezidis from Georgia and Armenia during the Soviet era.

Source: . Ezidi Dance Ensemble from Tbilisi, Georgia, during the All-Union Folk Dance Festival in Moscow 1936.

Although Ezidis and many Kurds speak the same language, Ezidis and Kurds developed over centuries as distinct ethnic groups. The Ezidis formed a unique social and cultural structure and became a relatively closed theocratic society, shaped historically by persecution from radical representatives of the dominant religions in the region.

In the twentieth century, some representatives of the Ezidi intelligentsia increasingly began identifying themselves as Kurdish Ezidis, although they represented a minority among Ezidis. This was influenced by policies promoting ethnic unification and by the shared language, while the identity of the majority of Ezidis was often overlooked. Today, as in the past, a significant number of Ezidis identify themselves as a distinct ethnic people, which is reflected in the census results of Georgia, Armenia, Russia, and Belarus.

Source: . A Ezidi Family in Armenia. Sometime during the 1950s.

Source:

To get updates and information about Ezidis and the Sharfadin religion; follow and show your support for the channel on Telegram.

Within the Sharfadin religion, certain symbols carry profound meaning that extend beyond their physical form. One of the most significant among them is the Grivan (Girîvan), an essential element of traditional Ezidi religious clothing and a deeply rooted expression of faith.

Source: Yezidi Serhed’s Official Telegram channel.

The Grivan refers to the neckline opening of the Kiras, the white undergarment worn by Ezidis. While it may appear as a simple design feature, its symbolic meaning is far more substantial. The Grivan represents the “gateway of faith,” signifying the enduring and inseparable bond between an individual, their belief, and God. Wearing the Kiras is not merely a cultural practice; it is considered a requirement for maintaining spiritual and religious purity.

The garment itself must be entirely white, reflecting purity and clarity. The Grivan appears as a rounded neckline, carefully finished with a white trim. This visual simplicity reinforces its deeper message: faith is constant, unadorned, and central to Ezidi identity.

The origin of the word “Grivan” is believed to trace back to the ancient Iranian term gereban, meaning “small pocket.” This interpretation adds another layer of meaning. Symbolically, the Grivan is understood as a space where a person’s deeds are gathered. It serves as a quiet but persistent reminder that one’s actions carry weight, encouraging Ezidis to live with integrity and to perform good deeds.

In addition, the Grivan is sometimes referred to as Toka Ezid or Kayma Ezid. These terms explicitly affirm belonging to the Ezidi people and their ancient faith, reinforcing both spiritual identity and continuity across generations.

As both a physical and symbolic element, the Grivan remains a central expression of devotion in the Ezidi religion, connecting everyday life with enduring spiritual principles.

Source: Yezidi Serhed

To get updates and information about Ezidis and the Sharfadin religion; follow and show your support for the Yezidi Sarhad page on Telegram.

Nine years have passed since the martyrdom of Shaheen Khalaf al-Rashkani, known to many simply as Shaheen Khalaf. His name should not be remembered as a footnote from the battle of Mosul. It should be remembered as one of the clearest moral answers to ISIS: after ISIS tried to erase the Ezidi people, an Ezidi man gave his life trying to save a Muslim child.

Shaheen, born in 1988, was from Tall Banat, south of Mount Sinjar in Nineveh Province, Iraq. He belonged to a people who had already endured the genocidal violence of ISIS: villages emptied, families separated, women and children enslaved, men executed, and thousands forced into displacement. The United Nations has described ISIS crimes against the Ezidis as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.  

That suffering could have hardened him. It could have turned his heart away from anyone outside his own people. Instead, Shaheen chose another path. He became known for courage, humour, poetry, and an almost reckless willingness to help civilians trapped in the brutality of war. Gariwo lists him among the “Righteous in the Resistance to Islamic Fundamentalism” and describes him as an Ezidi interpreter who sacrificed his life to save a Muslim girl.  

During the battle for Mosul, Shaheen worked with the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian organisation active in war zones. Reports describe him as a translator who worked with humanitarian teams and helped rescue civilians under ISIS fire. One account states that he was helping rescue a young girl and her father when he was shot by an ISIS sniper, later dying from sepsis after being wounded.

On May 4, 2017, Shaheen saw a child trapped in a landscape of corpses, destruction, and sniper fire. He knew the danger. He was not naïve. He understood what ISIS snipers were doing to civilians trying to flee. Still, he moved forward. He chose the child’s life over his own safety. He was shot during the rescue attempt and died days later from his wounds. Free Burma Rangers also recorded that he died from complications after a gunshot wound sustained on May 4.

Shaheen’s story is a story of moral victory after genocide. ISIS tried to teach the world that cruelty was stronger than humanity. Shaheen answered with his own body. He showed that the Ezidi people, rooted in their ancient identity and Sharfadin, could survive genocide without losing the capacity for mercy.

There is something almost unbearable in the contrast. The Ezidi people were still grieving mass murder, enslavement, displacement, and the destruction of their villages. Yet in Mosul, one Ezidi man did not stop to ask whether the child in front of him belonged to his people, his religion, or his history. He saw a child marked for death, and he acted.

A playground was later dedicated to him in Mosul, close to the place where he saved the girl. His rescue action was also referenced in connection with the documentary Free Burma Rangers, directed by Brent Gudgel and Chris Sinclair.  

Shaheen Khalaf is called “Martyr of Humanity” for a reason. His martyrdom exposes the moral bankruptcy of ISIS more powerfully than any speech could. ISIS murdered Ezidis because of who they were. Shaheen risked everything to save a child because of who he was.

“ While ISIS slaughtered our people, Shaheen walked into death to save a Muslim child. That is the difference between the ideology that came to destroy and the Ezidi humanity it failed to destroy. ”

In a published interview about the film Hawar, Our Banished Children, conducted by Laury Garcia Haouj, a sentence appears that should not pass without criticism. Pascale Bourgaux is quoted describing Ezidis as “a minority within a large Kurdish minority, scattered across four countries.” 

Ezidis are not a “minority within a minority.” Ezidis are an ancient ethno-religious people with their own identity, history, culture, collective memory, and religion, Sharfadin. We are not a branch of another people, not an appendix to another political identity, and not a small cultural detail inside someone else’s national project. We are Ezidis, and that should not be difficult to say.

Calling kurds a “minority” is laughable and insulting to peoples who are actually minorities and actually live under erasure and marginalisation.

A project that claims to address the genocide against Ezidis should not, at the same time, introduce Ezidis through another identity. That is not context. That is distortion. It is deeply insulting to use Ezidi suffering as the emotional and moral centre of a film while still pursuing some hidden kurdish propaganda-agenda.

It places Ezidis inside a larger kurdish framework and teaches the reader to understand Ezidis through someone else. This is how assimilation often works. It does not always arrive openly or aggressively. Sometimes it arrives through soft cultural language, interviews, film descriptions, academic terms, and seemingly innocent sentences that quietly absorb one people into another.

Ezidi women were not targeted by Daesh because they were “kurdish”. Ezidi men were not executed because they were “kurdish”. Ezidi children were not abducted, enslaved, indoctrinated, or separated from their mothers because they were “kurdish”. Ezidis were targeted because they are Ezidis, because of Sharfadin, and because their existence as a distinct people was marked for destruction.

The Professional Moral…doesn’t Exist

If journalists, filmmakers, academics, and cultural institutions want to speak about Ezidi suffering, then the minimum requirement is accuracy. Ezidis do not need to be introduced through anyone else. Our identity is not negotiable, and our genocide should not be used as a platform for language that reduces us to a subgroup of another people. Anyone who claims to tell our story must first understand who we are.

In all honesty, we wish that the genocide never happened to us. We wish that it belonged someone else. If there is any group who desires to be seen as the genocide victims; please, may your wishes come true. But we will never accept cheap propaganda to rename the suffering that our Ezidi peopel went through and label it as “kurdish”. This is an insult to all the victims and their sacred memories.

The sentence should have been simple: Ezidis are an ancient ethnic and religious people whose religion is Sharfadin, and the film addresses the aftermath of the genocide committed by Daesh against Ezidis.

Authorities in Turkey have opened an investigation into journalist Zeynep Durgut after she reported allegations of tree cutting in Kiwex, an Ezidi village located in the Hezex (İdil) district of Şirnex province.

Durgut, a reporter for the Mesopotamia Agency, published a report in June 2025 describing claims from local residents that trees had been cut on village land as part of preparations for the construction of a police station near the entrance of Kiwex. The report drew attention to concerns raised by villagers about environmental damage and the impact of the planned project on their land.

The investigation was reportedly initiated following a complaint submitted by the Midyat district branch of the political party HÜDA-PAR to the Midyat Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

As part of the investigation, Durgut appeared at the 2 Nisan Police Station in van, where she gave a statement accompanied by her lawyer. During questioning, she confirmed that she authored the report and stated that her work was part of her professional duty to inform the public.

Her lawyer, Veysi Atay, argued that the article should be viewed within the framework of press freedom and freedom of expression. He also stated that, under Turkish law, criminal responsibility requires the presence of a clear and immediate threat, which he said does not apply in this case.

After completing the statement procedures, Durgut left the police station. The investigation remains ongoing.

The popularity of the Turkish series Far City has brought a new wave of tourism to Midyat, the historic district of Mardin. Visitors are coming to see the stone mansions, narrow streets and filming locations shown in the series.

But Midyat is more than a beautiful filming location. It is also part of a wider historical landscape shaped by different peoples, including Ezidis. For the Ezidi people, whose ancient religion is Sharfadin, this region carries deep cultural memory and historical meaning.

As tourists explore Midyat’s old houses, local crafts and traditional markets, there is an opportunity to tell a fuller story — one that does not only focus on architecture and television fame, but also recognizes the Ezidi presence in the region.

Ezidi wrestler Malkhas Amoyan has once again made history in Greco-Roman wrestling, becoming European Champion for the fifth time. Competing in the 77 kg category at the European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship in Tirana, Albania, Amoyan won gold and confirmed his position as one of the most successful wrestlers in Europe.

The Armenian national team also achieved an unprecedented result at the championship, winning five medals in total. Alongside Amoyan’s gold medal, Suren Aghajanyan won silver in the 60 kg category, while Karen Aslanyan, Slavik Galstyan and Gaspar Terteryan secured bronze medals in their respective weight classes. Armenia finished fourth in the team ranking.

In an interview with Iravunk.com sports journalist Hovhannes Sargsyan, Amoyan spoke about the difficulty of winning his fifth European title. He explained that each year brings greater pressure and responsibility, because the expectation to win becomes stronger. Despite this, he said he was able to gather his strength, remain focused and finish the championship as a winner.

Speaking about the final against Zoidze, Amoyan admitted that he was not fully satisfied with the way he wrestled. However, he emphasized that the most important thing was to leave the mat with victory. Since the two wrestlers had faced each other many times before, Amoyan knew he had to be careful and avoid mistakes against a technically strong and dangerous opponent.

Amoyan also revealed that he had suffered from health problems before the European Championship. He said that he had been ill for a long period, but did everything possible to prevent it from affecting his performance.

“My faith in God and my faith in the path I have taken gave me strength for this victory,” Amoyan said. “Every second on the mat, I feel the support of the Ezidi and Armenian people.”

For Ezidis, Amoyan’s success carries deep symbolic meaning. As an Ezidi athlete representing Armenia at the highest international level, his victories are not only sporting achievements, but also moments of pride for the Ezidi people. His discipline, faith and repeated success continue to inspire many young Ezidis who see in him an example of strength, dignity and perseverance.

Amoyan, who is also a two-time World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist, said he will continue working toward future victories, including at the World Championship.

An Ezidi survivor has been freed after approximately 12 years in ISIS captivity, according to verified sources.

The survivor was just a small child when she was kidnapped by the islamists. She has now reached her relatives in Şengal after years of injustice, oppression and forced separation from her family.

Her return is a moment of deep relief for her relatives and for the Ezidi people. It is also a painful reminder that the consequences of the 2014 genocide are still ongoing. Many Ezidi women and children were abducted by ISIS, and many are still missing.

Every rescued survivor is a reminder of survival, pain and the need to continue searching for those who have not yet returned.

Out of respect for the survivor, Ezidi Times has decided not to publish any photographs or footage of her. This decision has been made to protect her identity, privacy and dignity.

We also encourage media outlets, pages and individuals to refrain from sharing images or videos of newly rescued survivors. A survivor may not object at the first moment, but later she may regret that her face was spread across the internet. Once such material is shared, it is very difficult to remove.

Armenian politician Gagik Tsarukyan has visited residents in Khnaberd, Rya Taza and Aragats in the Aragatsotn region, Armenia.

After the meetings, Tsarukyan wrote on Facebook that the conversations were held in a “warm and frank atmosphere.” He praised farmers, saying that people who work with dedication deserve stable and decent living conditions for their families.

During the visit to Rya Taza, he also spoke about the long-standing friendship between the Armenian and Ezidi peoples. He said the Ezidi people had stood with Armenians during difficult times and described mutual trust as an important foundation of unity.

The visits come shortly before Armenia’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 7, 2026.  

For Ezidis in Armenia, such visits should be viewed with caution. Political attention that appears only in the final weeks before an election should not be confused with long-term respect, representation or real commitment.

A heated political exchange in Australia has drawn renewed attention to the complex issue of citizens linked to ISIS and the broader consequences of the group’s atrocities. The debate intensified after Opposition Leader Angus Taylor reacted sharply to a journalist’s question regarding women and children detained in Syria who are seeking to return to Australia.

The exchange followed Taylor’s meeting with members of the Ezidi people, who were severely affected by ISIS violence and genocide in Iraq. His remarks repeatedly described the group of women and children as “ISIS sympathisers,” a position that has become central to the opposition’s push to criminalise assistance to individuals connected to ISIS fighters.

The controversy highlights a deeper divide in how governments should respond to such cases. On one side, there are strong security concerns and a desire to prevent any perceived support for individuals linked to extremist groups. On the other, questions remain about the legal and moral responsibilities toward citizens—especially children—who have spent years in detention in conflict zones.

The reference to ISIS atrocities is particularly significant in this context. The group’s crimes, including genocide against the Ezidi people, continue to shape political narratives and public opinion. For many, these events justify a strict approach. For others, they underscore the need to differentiate between perpetrators and vulnerable individuals, particularly minors.

The debate has also exposed tensions between political messaging and humanitarian considerations. While some officials deny actively assisting those seeking to return, humanitarian actors have argued that countries retain responsibilities toward their citizens abroad, regardless of the circumstances.

20.03.2026 Ezidi Times

A French court has, for the first time, formally recognised the genocide committed against the Ezidi people, marking a significant legal and historical development in Europe. The ruling comes in a case against French national Sabri Essid, tried in absentia for crimes committed during the attacks carried out by the so-called Islamic State against Ezidis in Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2016.

The court found him guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and complicity, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Although he is presumed dead, the proceedings moved forward due to the gravity of the crimes and the need for judicial recognition. This decision establishes an important precedent in France, where the atrocities against the Ezidi people had not previously been legally defined as genocide in a national court.

At the centre of the trial were the testimonies of survivors. One Ezidi woman, who endured years of captivity, described how her life was destroyed during the 2014 attack on Sinjar. She was captured along with her young child and husband, before being separated and subjected to repeated violence. She was transferred between multiple captors and sold several times in a system designed to exploit and dehumanise Ezidi women.

Her account outlined how women were forced into public spaces, displayed, and sold. She described being held by several men over a prolonged period, during which she experienced constant abuse and control. Despite the conditions, she eventually managed to escape with her child, navigating extreme risk to reach safety. Her husband remains missing.

The court also examined the background and behaviour of the accused. Testimony revealed a pattern of control and violence that predated his involvement with the extremist group. Once in Syria, this behaviour escalated in an environment where systematic crimes against Ezidis were organised and encouraged.

This trial is notable not only for the verdict but for its recognition of the specific intent behind the crimes. The targeting of Ezidis was not incidental; it formed part of a broader effort to destroy the Ezidi people through killings, abductions, forced conversions, and sexual enslavement. The ruling confirms that these acts meet the legal definition of genocide under international law.

The case was supported by legal teams and human rights organisations that have worked for years to document the crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. Their efforts, combined with the willingness of survivors to testify, made it possible for the court to establish a clear record of events.

For the Ezidi people, this moment represents a step toward accountability. While many perpetrators remain unpunished and thousands of Ezidis are still missing, the recognition by a European court contributes to the broader process of justice. It also reinforces the responsibility of national courts to address international crimes, even when committed outside their territory.

The ruling does not erase the suffering endured, but it formally acknowledges it. For survivors, that recognition carries weight. It places their experiences within a legal framework that defines what happened to them as one of the gravest crimes under international law.

LEEK, Netherlands — Museum Nienoord will organise a Liberation Lunch for the first time on Tuesday, May 5. The event has already been held for several years at different locations across the Netherlands.

Visitors are welcome to attend the lunch from 12:00 to 13:30, where they will be served the Freedom Soup prepared by Janny van der Heijden and offered by the Vfonds, together with a sandwich buffet. The lunch will be arranged as a running buffet, and in good weather it will take place outside.

A special guest during the lunch will be 19-year-old Malik J, an Ezidi refugee who is currently waiting for his future in the AZC. He is also a finalist in Mister Nederland in May. During the event, Malik will speak about his joy about freedom in the Netherlands. He will be introduced by museum director Geert Pruiksma.

Malik has also received attention for his new book, Between Bullets and Dreams. He is willing to sign copies that visitors bring with them.

15.04.2026 - Armenia

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has issued a message of congratulations to the Ezidi people of Armenia on the occasion of the Ezidi New Year, reaffirming government support for the preservation of Ezidi identity, language, and culture.

In the message released by the Prime Minister’s Office, Pashinyan said the Ezidis of Armenia are held in great respect and described them as one of the country’s largest ethnic groups and an important part of Armenia’s state identity. He said they are known for their national identity, traditions, hard work, and dedication to the Republic of Armenia.

Pashinyan stated that the government wants the achievements of the Ezidis in Armenia to continue to grow. He said large-scale investments are being made in Ezidi-populated settlements with the aim of improving access to quality education, strengthening infrastructure, supporting cultural and community life, and increasing prosperity.

He also said the government is ready to share the concerns of the Ezidi people of Armenia in a brotherly way and to support solutions to their problems. According to his message, new programs will be implemented to preserve and develop the Ezidi language, culture, and national identity.

During the Ezidi New Year celebrations, Pashinyan travelled to Aknalich in the Armavir region and attended the celebrations at the temple together with senior officials and representatives of the Ezidi people, such as MP Rustam Bakoyan.

Ezidi Dance Group.

During the event, Ezidi and Armenian dance groups performed.

In his remarks, Pashinyan stressed that all citizens of Armenia, regardless of faith or nationality, are equal before the state and equally protected under the constitution, with the same rights and responsibilities.

Prime Minister Pashinyan during his speech at the event.

A cultural round table dedicated to the Ezidi New Year, known as , was held on April 15 at the House of Friendship of the Leningrad Region.

The event brought together representatives of ethnocultural organizations and guests interested in learning more about the ancient culture, traditions and spiritual heritage of the Ezidi people. The gathering focused on the meaning of the Ezidi New Year and its place within Ezidi identity, memory and religious life.

Charasham Sare Sale is one of the most important celebrations in the Ezidi calendar. It is connected to ancient Mesopotamian traditions and is understood as a celebration of creation, renewal and the beauty of the world. For Ezidis, whose religion is Sharfadin, the holiday carries deep spiritual meaning and remains an important expression of continuity between past and present.

One of the most recognizable traditions of the holiday is the painting of eggs. The egg symbolizes the world, while the different colors represent the beauty and diversity of creation. This custom reflects the broader meaning of the New Year: life, renewal, harmony and gratitude for the created world.

The event also served as an opportunity to introduce guests to the history and traditions of the Ezidi people, an ancient ethnic and religious people with roots in Upper Mesopotamia. Through discussions about the holiday, participants were able to learn more about Ezidi cultural heritage and the importance of preserving it across generations.

April 21, 2026 TIRANA, Albania — Ezidi Times

Ezidi wrestler Malkhas Amoyan has won his fifth European Championship gold medal, securing yet another major achievement for Armenia in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Competing in the senior 77 kg division at the European Championship in Tirana, Amoyan faced Georgia’s Ramaz Zoidze in the final. The bout ended 1:1, with victory awarded to Amoyan because he scored the first point of the match.

With this result, Amoyan becomes a five-time European champion, further strengthening his place among the top wrestlers in Europe. Already an Olympic bronze medalist and a multiple world and European champion, he continues to build an exceptional career on the international stage.

During the medal ceremony, Amoyan was awarded the gold medal for Armenia. Georgia’s Ramaz Zoidze took silver, while the bronze medals went to Hungary’s R. Fritsch and Sweden’s K. Baff.

Amoyan’s latest triumph is not only another proud sporting moment for Armenia, but also an important moment of pride for Ezidis following the success of one of their most prominent athletes.

Watch Malkhas’ Medal Ceremony here:

https://youtu.be/65FHt8cLvTg

Watch Malkhas Amoyan’s entire match from the final here:

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Ezidi human rights activist Nadia Murad has received the Legion of Honour from French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris.

Murad shared the news in an Instagram post, where she described the recognition as deeply meaningful and praised France for its longstanding support for survivors.

“France has always held a special place in my heart,” Murad wrote. She said France is a country that has chosen “to stand with survivors, to listen when it matters most, and to act when doing so is not easy.”

Murad used the moment to highlight the importance of listening to those who have endured violence and injustice. “In a world where too many people feel unheard, true leadership is measured by the willingness to listen; not only to power, but to pain,” she stated.

She also praised the French president directly. President Macron, Murad said, has shown “what it means to lead with conviction and humanity.”

Nadia Murad receiving the Legion of Honour by President Emmanuel Macron.

Murad made clear that the honour was not only a personal recognition, but also a tribute to survivors everywhere. “This recognition is not mine alone,” she wrote. “It belongs to every survivor who refused to stay silent and to every woman and girl who continues to speak, even when the world is not yet ready to listen.”

For Ezidis, Murad remains one of the most important international voices for justice, accountability and recognition after the genocide committed against the Ezidi people in Iraq.

About the Legion of Honour

Australia has recognised the ISIS genocide against the Ezidi people. Now it must prove that this recognition means something.

Recognition Is Not Enough

In 2018, Australia recognised that ISIS committed genocide against the Ezidi people.

That recognition mattered. But recognition alone does not bring justice.

ISIS crimes against Ezidis were not ordinary terrorism. Ezidi women and girls were enslaved, raped, sold, beaten, and forced to live under ISIS control. Ezidi children were taken from their families. Ezidi men were murdered. Ezidi identity and the Sharfadin faith were directly targeted.

This was genocide. It was crimes against humanity. It was slavery. It was sexual violence. It was war crimes.

If Australia recognises this genocide, then it must also investigate and prosecute these crimes under their real legal names. It is not enough to use only terrorism offences because they are easier or more familiar.

A terrorism case mainly asks whether a person supported or joined a terrorist organisation. A genocide case asks whether a person helped destroy a people. A crimes against humanity case asks whether a person took part in a system of slavery, rape, persecution, murder, and forced displacement.

For Ezidi survivors, this difference is not technical. It is personal. When genocide is treated only as terrorism, the victims disappear from the centre of the case.

Australia Should Learn From Germany

Germany has shown that ISIS crimes against Ezidis can be prosecuted properly. Sweden, the Netherlands and France are also following in Germany’s footsteps.

German courts have convicted ISIS members for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide-related offences involving Ezidi victims. This sends an important message: ISIS crimes against Ezidis must be named correctly.

Recent reports have raised serious allegations involving ISIS-linked Australians and the enslavement of Ezidi girls. These allegations must be proven in court. But they must also be investigated through the correct legal framework.

If any Australian citizen, resident, spouse, relative, or household member controlled, abused, encouraged, enabled, or benefited from the enslavement of Ezidis, then this should not be reduced to a lesser terrorism case.

It should be investigated as possible genocide, crimes against humanity, slavery, war crimes, and sexual violence.

Australia knows how to investigate war crimes when it chooses to. So the question is simple: why is there no stronger legal focus on ISIS crimes against Ezidis?

The Crime Must Be Named Correctly

The Ezidi genocide was not a small part of the ISIS story. It was one of ISIS’s central crimes.

Ezidis were targeted because they were Ezidi. Their families, identity, homeland, women, children, and Sharfadin faith were attacked because ISIS wanted to destroy them as a people.

Australia must stop treating the Ezidi genocide as something smaller than it was.

It was genocide. It was crimes against humanity. It was slavery. It was sexual violence. It was war crimes. It was an attempt to destroy an ancient people.

If Australia truly recognises the Ezidi genocide, then it must also prosecute ISIS-linked crimes against Ezidis under their real legal names.