Welcome to YLN’s Blog Stream
YLN’s Blog Stream, consisting of a mix of analytical, educational and opinion posts, is used as a means of outreach and education for researchers, lawyers, NGOs, the general public and more.
Our focus is on Yazidi culture and the hardships the community faces because of the many genocides and widespread persecution. This comprises of, but is not limited to, describing Yazidi history and customs, as well as analysing relevant international law, specifically in relation to displacement, war crimes and genocide.
Through this, we hope to encourage debate on issues of accountability, human rights and justice.
Why We Must Not Overlook The Role of ISIS Women in The Yazidi Genocide
Earlier this month, an Iraqi court sentenced Asmaa Mohamed, the widow and first wife of former ISIS caliph Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, to death for aiding the Islamic State in kidnapping and detaining Yazidi women. In response to Mohamed’s controversial interview denying involvement with ISIS crimes, Nobel Laureate Nadia Murad called for international accountability for ISIS women’s roles in the genocide. The testimonies of Yazidi survivors reveal that ISIS women were often just as brutal as their male counterparts, actively participating in atrocities against Yazidi captives.
Economic Support for Yazidis in 2024
In this blog, Yazidi Legal Network team member William Schroeder outlines the economic support avenues available for Yazidi survivors in 2024.
The shortfalls of Yazidi Survivors Law
In this blog, our volunteer Meriam Holmström gives a brief account of the Yazidi Female Survivors Law (YSL) and delves into its many issues which ultimately prevent the law from fully helping Yazidis.
UNITAD must stay
This blog post is about the importance of renewing UNITAD’s mandate. The post is written by one of our volunteers, Meriam Holmström.
ISIS and the Yazidis: Impact of the Conflict on the Identity of Yazidi Children
The genocide against the Yazidi community has led to large-scale destruction of the Yazidi identity amongst children. In this blog, Mohammed Nazeeruddin Khan discusses the concept of right to identity and its violations in the context of the ISIS assault on the Yazidis.
The Aftermath of a Genocide: The Displacement of the Yazidi Community
The genocide against the Yazidi community in 2014 led to multiple harms, a prominent one being widespread displacement and its repercussions to the community. In this blog Meriam Holmström and Sarah Fuchs explain the effects of the displacement and call for increased engagement with the issue.
Genocide At The Hands Of Isis & The 74 Firmans: The Plight Of The Yazidis
On 3rd August 2014, the world woke up to the harrowing news of the siege of Mount Sinjar. Thousands of Yazidis who fled their homes were trapped at the peak, with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) regiments at the foot. When the dust finally settled on this tragic incident, appalling stories of a wide range of crimes, including systematic killing, rape and other forms of sexual violence, aimed at the complete and deliberate destruction of Yazidi identity emerged.
A legal explanation of Genocide
The term “genocide” originates from Jewish-Polish Lawyer Raphäel Lemkin’s book Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. It was developed to describe the events and Nazi policies which led to the Holocaust. Soon after, in 1946, genocide was recognised by the UN General Assembly as a crime under international law in A/RES/96-I. Here the term “genocide” was defined as “a denial of the right of existence of entire human groups”.
Who are the Yazidis?
At Yazidi Legal Network (YLN), we aim to empower and support the Yazidi in their struggles to access justice for the crimes committed by ISIS in 2014. We do so by building bridges between the Yazidi community and domestic and international justice mechanisms. An essential part of this mission is to ensure that a wider audience is aware of the Yazidis and their culture and history. This blog is the place where you can find such information. Here, we share information about the Yazidis, the work of Yazidi Legal Network, and the people behind the organisation.
The YLN blog is a platform for writers to share their views and knowledge. The views presented in this blog are the views of the writers, and do not necessarily represent the views of Yazidi Legal Network or any other organisations or individuals they might be affiliated with.