The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) announced on 10 June that it would try foreign ISIS members in its own people’s courts. This follows years of unsuccessful appeals to the states of origin to set up an international court to punish the crimes committed by ISIS. More than ten thousand ISIS members from over sixty countries are held in AANES prisons, and some 60,000 ISIS family members are in camps such as al-Hol Camp. According to AANES, the trials will be in accordance with international and domestic laws on terrorism.

The Yazidi Women’s Freedom Movement (TAJÊ) released a statement calling for support for the trial process.

TAJÊ recalled that the Yazidi people in Shengal (Sinjar) were brutally attacked for the whole world to see in the 21st century, the so-called century of democracy and human rights. It noted that the Iraqi forces and the peshmerga, which are responsible for protecting them, failed to do their duty, while YJA Star, HPG, YPG and YPJ forces answered their call and rushed to their aid.

The statement noted that nine years have passed since the genocidal onslaught, yet the wounds are yet to be healed, thousands are still missing and a part of the displaced Yazidi population still live far from their land.

Remarking that victims of the ISIS onslaught are still buried in mass graves, TAJÊ said: “The invading Turkish state attacks our land and leading personalities every day, putting the security of our country in danger. It is the responsibility of the entire world to protect the rights of the Yazidi people.”

‘ISIS threat continues’

TAJÊ pointed out that the SDF, YPG, YPJ, YBŞ and YJŞ waged an honorable and great struggle against ISIS and protected the world from the ISIS threat through this struggle.

Remarking that the ISIS threat continues, TAJÊ stated: “There are thousands of ISIS prisoners in SDF custody in the Hol Camp in Rojava but their countries do not reclaim them. International powers do not act to eliminate the ISIS threat, which, therefore, continues.”

‘Turkish state supported ISIS’

TAJÊ remarked that ISIS is a terrorist organization and its members should be tried as such. “Many countries supported ISIS and served as a bridge. One of these countries is the invading Turkish state ruled by the AKP and MHP.”

TAJÊ called for the international community and the international powers that recognized the ISIS onslaught against the Yazidi community as a genocide to officially acknowledge the trial of ISIS members and support the AANES in the process. “Any other attitude they will adopt will mean an endorsement of the genocide,” it said.

“Those who supported ISIS should be called to account and given the penalty they deserve, first and foremost the Turkish state,” TAJÊ added.