Press Release
The media plays a crucial role in our commitment to Never Again. We work closely with our media partners to advance awareness and drive the narrative on the Yazidi Genocide. Yazda is widely quoted and cited in the global press. Thank you to our media partners for your persevering commitment to the Yazidi Cause.
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Twelve Years On: Honoring Yazidi Victims and Calling for Justice Date: 3 August 2026 Sinjar, Iraq: Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the Yazidi genocide perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). On 3 August 2014, ISIL launched a coordinated attack against the Yazidi people in Sinjar, Iraq. The Yazidi community was specifically targeted through mass killings, sexual violence, enslavement, forced displacement, and destruction of cultural and religious heritage. Thousands of Yazidis were abducted by ISIL and transferred to Syria and various locations of Iraq. These acts meet the legal thresholds of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes under international criminal law. On this solemn day of remembrance, Yazda stands in solidarity with the Yazidi people to honor the victims and survivors of the genocide. We remember those who were killed, those who remain missing, and the countless lives forever changed by these atrocities. Families were torn apart, entire communities were displaced, and the consequences continue to be felt across generations. Twelve years later, hundreds of mass graves continue to be discovered, and around 2,500 Yazidis, predominantly women and children, remain missing to this day. Approximately 200,000 Yazidis have returned to Sinjar, while more than 200,000 remain displaced elsewhere in Iraq. Of those still displaced, around 180,000 Yazidis are living outside internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and nearly 90,000 are residing in thirteen IDP camps. Decades of government neglect have compounded the challenges faced by the Yazidi community, contributing to the marginalization of this humanitarian crisis and leaving the fate of many survivors and displaced families without the support, security, and certainty needed to rebuild their lives. Today, a public tribute is being held at the memorial site of the Yazidi genocide in Solagh, Sinjar. Yazda joined survivors, families, supporters, and partners to commemorate the victims, honor the resilience of the Yazidi community, and renew the collective call for justice. This commemoration is more than a reflection on the past. It is a call to reaffirm Yazidi’s commitment to justice, accountability, and the protection of communities at risk. This commitment to justice must also be reflected in concrete measures to support survivors and address the lasting impacts of the genocide. Although the adoption of the Yazidi Survivors Law (YSL) in 2021 marked a historic step by establishing Iraq's first comprehensive administrative reparations program for survivors of ISIL atrocities, implementation remains incomplete. Since applications opened in September 2022, 2,587 applications have been approved, and with more than 2,216 survivors receiving monthly reparations. In addition, 262 land plots have been distributed, and 87 survivors have received educational support. However, many survivors whose applications were approved in 2025 have yet to receive financial benefits due to budget constraints, delaying access to essential reparations and undermining the timely delivery of justice. Progress toward accountability has also been uneven. In Europe, a limited number of cases have been pursued under the principles of universal and active personal jurisdiction, demonstrating both the feasibility of prosecuting ISIL crimes under international law and the importance of political will. However, these efforts remain fragmented and dependent on factors such as the presence of suspects, access to evidence, and national legal frameworks. To date, fifteen cases have been pursued for genocide, crimes against humanity, or related offences, primarily in Germany, with additional proceedings in the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Kosovo, and France. These cases demonstrate the critical role of national courts and survivor testimony in advancing accountability and preserving the historical record, while also highlighting the need for a more consistent and comprehensive approach to justice. In Iraq, prosecutions have continued primarily under counter-terrorism legislation, while no coordinated international mechanism has been established to core international crimes committed against the Yazidi community. In light of the above, Yazda respectfully call for the following actions: Ensure the full and timely implementation of the Yazidi Survivors Law (YSL) by removing administrative and financial barriers, ensuring that all approved survivors receive their reparations without further delay. Adopt comprehensive legislation incorporating genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes into national law, ensuring that ISIL crimes are prosecuted in their full scope and that judicial proceedings contribute to truth-telling, reconciliation, and social cohesion. In parallel with domestic efforts, explore complementary international accountability pathways, including cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC). Strengthen efforts to locate, identify, and return missing Yazidis by increasing resources for the investigation and excavation of mass graves, supporting DNA identification processes, and providing families with truth and information about their missing relatives. Guarantee safe, voluntary, and dignified return for displaced Yazidis by improving security conditions in Sinjar, rebuilding destroyed infrastructure, restoring essential services, and ensuring meaningful participation of Yazidis in decisions affecting their future. Ensure continued international engagement and monitoring by governments, international organizations, and humanitarian actors to maintain attention on the Yazidi genocide and prevent future atrocities against vulnerable communities. Twelve years after the genocide, justice for the Yazidi people remains an urgent responsibility. The Yazidi community must never endure such atrocities again. ### Download this Press Release here . Read this Press Release in Arabic here . For media inquiries, please contact: info@yazda.org About Yazda: Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.
UPDATE: Munich Court delivers Verdict against Asia R.A. and Twana H.S. for Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, and War Crimes Against Two Yazidi Girls Date: Monday, 13 July 2026 Munich, Germany: Today, The Higher Regional Court of Munich has delivered its verdict in the trial against Asia R.A. and Twana H.S., an Iraqi-Kurdish couple accused of being members of the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) and participating in the enslavement, torture, sexual abuse, and rape of two Yazidi girls. The Court found the defendants guilty of committing, between 2015 and 2017 In Mosul, Iraq, and Deir ez-Zor, Syria, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against two Yazidi children. Twana H.S. was convicted of sexually abusing the children, while Asia R.A. was found guilty of aiding and abetting in the abuse. Furthermore, Asia R.A. and Twana H.S. were convicted of the underlying act of forcibly transferring children, marking the first successful prosecution and conviction for this offense in Germany. The case also resulted in Germany's first conviction for the crime of forced religious conversion. Because Asia R.A. was a minor when the crimes were committed, she received a juvenile sentence of nine and a half years in prison. Twana H.S. was sentenced to life imprisonment. The couple was arrested in Germany in April 2024 following allegations relating to international crimes committed against two Yazidi girls. According to the indictment, the survivors were five and twelve years old when they were purchased in 2015 from a slave market in Mosul and in 2017 from a military base in Syria, respectively. The oldest survivor was freed in 2018 and testified during the trial, which began in May 2025, while the younger child remains missing and is believed to still be in captivity in Syria. This historic first-instance verdict marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice and accountability in Germany's tenth trial concerning crimes committed by ISIL, contributing to a growing body of case law addressing atrocities committed by ISIL against Yazidis. Asia R.A. and Twana H.S. were prosecuted under the universal jurisdiction principle which allows national courts to try international crimes committed abroad. During the verdict reading, Presiding Judge Philipp Stoll quoted from the Yazidi witness’ testimony the Yazidi : "We Yazidi women were the slaves – even dogs were valued more highly than us.” After the proceedings, the lawyer of one of the survivors, Natalie von Wistinghausen stated : “Our client is relieved that the trial is over and that the accused have been convicted to long prison sentences, even though no punishment can heal the deep wounds that she will carry all her life. She hopes that other girls who have endured similar atrocities will one day see accountability for the crimes committed against them. She also welcomed the Presiding Judge’s recognition of the courage of the Yazidi survivors and his hope that their testimony will contribute to restoring the Yazidi people’s confidence and hope.” Natia Navrouzov, Executive Director at Yazda, commented: “This landmark verdict in Germany's tenth trial concerning ISIL crimes marks another significant step toward justice for the Yazidi community. It reflects Germany's continued leadership in using universal jurisdiction to hold perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes accountable. While no verdict can erase the suffering of survivors, today's judgment reinforces that these crimes will not go unpunished and that the pursuit of justice must continue.” A representative of Yazda, Riyadh Adi, Yazda Consultant Investigations and Case-Building, attended the hearing to keep the Yazidi community informed of the proceedings. Having supported this case for a long time, today he reaffirmed Yazda's commitment to pursuing accountability and justice for the Yazidi community and all victims of ISIL. -END- Download this Press Release here . Read this Press Release in Arabic here . ### For media inquiries, please contact: info@yazda.org About Yazda: Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.
Yazda Joins Global Study to Tackle Tech-Enabled Violence Against Displaced Women and Girls
Yazda formalizes partnership with Civitas Maxima to strengthen justice and accountability for survivors of ISIL crimes
Joint Statement: Victims of Iraq in Speicher-1700 NGO and Yazda Mark Twelve Years Since the Camp Speicher Massacre Date: 12 June 2026 Today, Victims of Iraq in Speicher-1700 NGO and Yazda mark 12 years since the Camp Speicher Massacre, one of the deadliest atrocities of the Iraqi conflict. Between 12 and 14 June 2014, ISIL systematically killed 2,018 unarmed soldiers, cadets, and volunteers, predominantly Shi'a Muslims. The remains of 1,134 victims have been recovered, while 884 individuals remain missing. The cadets of the Tikrit Air Academy of the Iraqi Defence Forces were captured by ISIL after leaving the Academy on leave authorized by their commanders, following ISIL's seizure of Tikrit. Many of the victims were murdered at the Tikrit Presidential Palaces Complex in Salah al-Din province. This massacre remains one of the largest single mass killings of the conflict and a stark reminder of the crimes committed by ISIL against Iraq's communities. UNITAD found reasonable grounds to believe that the attack may constitute several grave international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Notably, the report concluded that ISIL possessed genocidal intent in the killing of approximately 1,700 Shi'a men executed over a period of just three days. Twelve years on, families are still waiting for answers. Many of the Air Academy personnel remain missing, and justice has yet to be fully served. Efforts must urgently focus on the search and identification of victims, criminal accountability, psychosocial support for survivors and bereaved families, and meaningful financial reparations as part of a comprehensive healing process. Sadiq Al-Rubaie, the Executive Director of Victims of Iraq in Speicher-1700 NGO commented: “On the twelfth anniversary of the Speicher Massacre, we remember with profound sorrow and pride our sons who were brutally murdered by the terrorist organization ISIS, solely for fulfilling their national duty and because of their religious identity. This anniversary is not merely a commemoration of a human tragedy; it is a renewed affirmation of the victims’ and their families’ inherent right to truth, justice, and redress. Despite the passage of twelve years, many families continue to await answers regarding the fate of their missing loved ones. There remains an urgent need to continue the search for mass graves, to identify the remains of victims, and to ensure that all those responsible for this crime are held fully accountable under the law. We also reiterate our call to strengthen psychological and social support for families and survivors, and to safeguard their legal and moral rights. Preserving the memory of Speicher is a national and moral responsibility—not only to honor the victims, but also to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated. Our organization will continue to work with national and international partners to achieve justice, uphold the dignity of the victims, and preserve their memory within Iraq’s collective conscience.” Natia Navrouzov , Yazda Executive Director , commented: “Yazda stands in solidarity with the families of those brutally killed during the Camp Speicher Massacre. In collaboration with Victims of Iraq in Speicher-1700 NGO, we remain committed to advocating for accountability, supporting survivors, and ensuring that the memory of the victims is preserved with the dignity they deserve.” ----- Download this press release here Read this Press Release in Arabic here For media inquiries, please contact: info@yazda.org About Yazda: Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the selfdeclared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.
Update in the Trial against Asia R.A. and Twana S. in Germany (Munich) 11 June 2026 The trial at the Higher Regional Court of Munich against Asia R.A. and Twana H.S., a couple accused of being members of the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) and participating in the enslavement, torture, causing serious mental and physical harm sexual abuse and rape of two Yazidi girls is coming to an end. The trial opened in May 2025, after the couple was arrested in Germany in April 2024 because of new allegations relating to international crimes including the enslavement and abuse of two Yazidi children. The first survivor was five years old when she was purchased in 2015 from a slave market in Mosul, and the second survivor was twelve when she was purchased by the couple in 2017 from a military base in Al Bukamal in Deir ez-Zor province. The couple allegedly inflicted serious mental and physical suffering on both girls, including beatings, humiliations, repeated sexual abuse and rape. In her closing statements on 12 May 2026, the German prosecutor sought convictions on charges of genocide, multiple counts of crimes against humanity, and war crimes against Asia R.A. and Twana H.S., requesting life sentences for both defendants. Commenting the alleged acts against the Yazidi captives she remarked: “This monstrous violence is so far removed from any humanity that it seems unreal.” The lawyers of one of the survivors, Natalie von Wistinghausen and Sonka Mehner, delivered their final pleadings on 19 May 2026, during which they recounted their client’s life and the ordeal experienced by her in the household of Twana H.S. and Asia R.A.. They highlighted the young age of both girls during their captivity and the long-lasting trauma inflicted as well as their persecution based on gender, religion, age and culture. The younger child is still in captivity in Syria. Twana H.S., originally from Byara, close to the border with Iran, arrived in Germany in 2002, and later became radicalized in a Salafist Mosque in Munich and joined ISIL. He met Asia R.A., a Kurd from Iraq’s Hawija town in Kirkuk province, in ISIL-controlled territory, where they married and had one child. The couple returned to Germany in 2018 where the second child was born. They are prosecuted under the universal jurisdiction principle which allows national courts to try international crimes committed abroad. The verdict is expected on 13 July 2026 and will mark the completion of the tenth case in Germany on crimes committed against the Yazidi people. You can read Yazda’s Press Release on the opening of the case here . Download this press release here Read this Press Release in Arabic here ### For media inquiries, please contact: info@yazda.org About Yazda: Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the selfdeclared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.
Joint Statement: ACIJ and Yazda Welcome Historic Crimes Against Humanity Charges for Australians’ Conduct Against Yazidi in Syria Date: 13th, May 2026 The Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) and Yazda welcome the arrests of two Australian citizens on charges of crimes against humanity of enslavement related to conduct against the persecuted Yazidi community. The two individuals were arrested at Melbourne Airport on Thursday after returning to Australia from north-east Syria, where they had been detained for several years following the collapse of ISIL’s territorial control. It is the first time that any person has been charged with crimes against humanity offences under Australian law. The Yazidis are a religious and ethnic minority indigenous to northern Iraq who were systematically targeted by the Islamic State (ISIL/ISIS) from August 2014 onwards. Thousands of Yazidi men and young adolescents were killed, while women and girls were abducted, enslaved and subjected to widespread sexual violence. Yazidi boys were also abducted, forcibly recruited and indoctrinated. Multiple international bodies, including the United Nations, have recognised ISIL’s atrocities against the Yazidis as constituting genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Thousands of foreign nationals, including Australians, travelled to Syria and Iraq to join or support ISIL during the conflict. For many Yazidi survivors, prosecutions in foreign domestic courts remain, almost twelve years after the start of ISIL’s campaign against the Yazidi community, one of the only viable avenues for justice. Iraq and Syria are not States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and there is currently no international tribunal mandated to prosecute ISIL crimes. Iraq also does not have domestic legislation criminalising genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, and Iraqi courts have therefore largely prosecuted ISIL members under counterterrorism laws rather than for international crimes. Prosecutions pursued in countries including Germany, France and Sweden have therefore played an important role in advancing accountability for crimes committed against the Yazidi community. The charges brought in Australia therefore mark a significant step towards ensuring that Australians alleged to have participated in or facilitated atrocities against the Yazidi community are investigated and prosecuted for the full gravity of those crimes under Australian law. The unprecedented move is also a step forward for Australia in meeting its obligations to investigate and prosecute international crimes and contribute to global efforts to secure convictions for crimes against the Yazidi people, including for crimes against humanity and genocide. Crimes against humanity charges more accurately reflect the allegations Yazidi survivors have raised against their captors, marking a significant and welcomed shift away from the Australian Federal Police’s reliance on terrorism-related charges alone. The courageous testimony of Yazidi survivors was fundamental to these charges being laid. Rawan Arraf, Executive Director at the Australian Centre for International Justice , said: “These are extremely serious allegations and the matter will now proceed before the court. The strength of Australia's justice system is measured by its commitment to applying the rule of law fairly and impartially. Australia should be actively seeking and facilitating the return of Australian citizens who are alleged to be involved in the commission of grave crimes, and where there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, Australian authorities should be doing everything they can to ensure that investigations and prosecutions are commenced.” Natia Navrouzov, Executive Director at Yazda, a global Yazidi NGO representing Yazidi survivors, said: “Australia has become a second home for many Yazidi survivors and their families, and we are deeply grateful to the Australian Government and the Australian community for welcoming those who fled ISIL’s atrocities and helping them rebuild their lives in safety and dignity. For many survivors, Australia represents not only refuge, but the possibility of justice and recognition after years of profound trauma and displacement." “Ensuring that Australia remains a safe place for Yazidi survivors also requires accountability processes that reflect the full gravity of the crimes committed against the Yazidi community. These cases should not be viewed solely through the lens of terrorism offences, but also in the context of ISIL’s systematic campaign of persecution, enslavement and genocide against the Yazidi community. Recognising the international crimes committed against Yazidis is essential both for survivors seeking justice and for helping the broader Australian society understand that ISIL was not only a terrorist organisation, but also a genocidal one.” --- To download the statement in Arabic, click here To download the statement in English, click here About the Australian Centre for International Justice The Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) exists to strengthen Australia’s role as a credible pathway for justice for survivors of the world’s gravest human rights violations. As a specialist legal centre, ACIJ works to build Australia’s practical capacity to investigate and prosecute international crimes, expand the use of universal jurisdiction, and ensure that those responsible for atrocity crimes do not benefit from impunity. At the heart of our work is a simple but urgent purpose: to provide survivors of serious human rights abuses with meaningful access to justice, and to transform Australia’s legal framework for international crimes from one of legal possibility into one of practical enforcement. About Yazda Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.
Exhumations of Mass Graves in Mosul reveal More Victims of the Yazidi Genocide Date: 27 April 2026 From the 4th to the 20th of April 2026, the technical teams, comprising the Mass Graves Directorate (MGD) at the Martyrs’ Foundation, the Medico Legal Directorate (MLD) at the Ministry of Health, and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) carried out excavation work at three mass graves located in the Al-Haramat and Al-Mushairfa neighborhoods of Mosul, Iraq. As a result of the excavation, 15 remains were exhumed, including those of at least three Yazidi women. An initial survey conducted in February 2026 by the technical teams led by the MGD, aimed at identifying and assessing sites and setting priorities before starting the excavation. A first phase of the excavation, concluded on the 20th of April 2026, included basic field documentation, such as recording site information and documenting the conditions of discovery, to support both technical and legal requirements. Following this first phase, the MGD transferred all recovered remains to the MLD in Baghdad for laboratory testing and final classification, with the aim of identifying the victims and returning them to their families in a proper and respectful manner. Yazda’s team accompanied the national teams throughout this mission, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting families of the victims. Since the beginning of this process, Yazda has remained consistently present in the field to help ensure that excavation efforts continue, and that families are supported in their pursuit of truth, dignity, and justice. The uncovered victims were killed by ISIL as part of its genocidal campaign which started on 3rd of August 2014. Within days, thousands were killed and thousands were kidnapped and transferred to ISIL-controlled territory, including to Mosul. Until today, over 2,500 people are still missing, with new mass graves being discovered on a regular basis. --- Download this Press Release here . Read this Press Release in Arabic here . For media inquiries, please contact: info@yazda.org Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.
UPDATE French judge orders trial against female jihadist for complicity in genocide against the Yazidis Lolita C. joined ISIL in Syria in 2014, where she married ISIL fighter Lakhdar S. She is accused of having enslaved an eight-year-old Yazidi girl for more than one month in 2017, amounting to complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity according to the investigative judge. Lolita C. will be the second French woman to face an Assize Court over alleged involvement in the genocide against the Yazidis. No trial date has yet been announced. Natia Navrouzov, Executive Director at Yazda commented: “The French investigative judges’ decision to send the case to trial marks an important step toward justice for Yazidi women and girls who were subjected to ISIL’s system of enslavement and abuse. It sends a clear message: French authorities recognize that participation in the enslavement of a Yazidi child forms part of a coordinated plan aimed at the destruction, in whole or in part, of the Yazidi community. We commend the French State for their firm commitment to hold their nationals accountable for the crimes committed against the Yazidi people.” These proceedings unfold amid a broader judicial reckoning in France for crimes committed against the Yazidis. In March of this year, the Paris Assize Court convicted French ISIL fighter Sabri E., known as Abu Dojanah al-Faransi, of genocide and crimes against humanity. In March 2027, a further trial is set to open against female ISIL member Sonia M. on charges of genocide against the Yazidis.
Paris, 13 April 2026 Today, the Paris Criminal Court found former executives and security managers of Lafarge SA and its Syrian branch Lafarge Cement Syria guilty of financing terrorism and the violation of international sanctions. This is the first time a French company has been convicted of financing terrorism. Prison sentences range from 18 months to 7 years, with fines ranging from €20,000 to €225,000 (the maximum amount for these crimes) to be paid to the French State. The company itself, Lafarge SA, was sentenced to pay a fine of 1,125,000€, the maximum penalty for a legal person. Bruno Lafont, former CEO, was sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of 225,000€ whereas Christian Herrault , former Director of operations for Syria, received a five-year prison sentence and a 225,000€ fine. Both were arrested today, immediately after the verdict. Bruno Pescheux , Director of the Syrian subsidiary, Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS) received a five-year prison sentence, as well as a fine of 225,000€. Frédéric Jolibois, who replaced Pescheux in this role, was sentenced to three years in prison and fined 80,000€. Ahmad Al-Jaloudi and Jacob Waerness , both Security Managers of the factory in Jalabiya were respectively sentenced to two years in prison plus a fine of 20,000€ and 18 months in prison with the same fine. Both were not present at the verdict, and arrest warrants have been issued against them. Amro Taleb , who acted as intermediary between Lafarge and ISIL, received a three-year sentence and a 60,000€ fine. Absent at the verdict hearing, an arrest warrant was issued against him. Finally, Firas Tlass , Syrian businessman and an intermediary between Lafarge and ISIL, was sentenced to seven years in prison, as well as a 225,000€ fine. Absent both at the trial and the verdict, an arrest warrant against him has been renewed. Commenting on the verdict, Natia Navrouzov, Executive Director at Yazda, stated: “Survivors often tell us that ISIL’s crimes were not committed by a group of individuals alone but were made possible by a broader system. Today’s decision against a company is a powerful recognition of that reality. It sends a clear message: economic actors cannot ignore the consequences of their actions when lives are at stake and when a genocide unfolds in proximity to their operations.” Court’s Findings Throughout the six-week trial held from 4 November 2025 to 19 December 2025, the defendants argued that they were unaware of the terrorist nature of groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham, and ISIL between 2012 and 2014, when payments totaling $5.5 million were made. They denied any criminal intent, claiming the payments resulted from extortion or security constraints, without personal enrichment. However, the Court rejected these arguments. It found that the executives were aware of the terrorist nature of the groups and that Lafarge demonstrated deliberate indifference in continuing its operations. The presiding judge stated: “They discussed, negotiated, and paid in order to continue their operations – even as the factory was surrounded by ISIL.” The judge further recalled that: “On 3 August 2014, only fifteen kilometers from Syria’s border, ISIL began a genocide against the Yazidi people , with mass executions, forced displacement, and the enslavement of women and children.” Yazda’s lawyers Rachel Lindon and Louis Falgas commented: “In the Court’s initial report of the Lafarge case in November last year, the Yazidi genocide was not mentioned. Today the Paris Criminal Court, upon convicting all the parties referred to it, described in detail the suffering of the Yazidi people at the hands of ISIL, sparing no detail as to the forced displacements, the summary executions, mass sexual enslavement and other acts of unfathomable violence endured. This rulling is a steppingstone for Yazda’s continued judicial advocacy.” Role of Civil Society Organizations Yazda acknowledges the essential role of Sherpa and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights ( ECCHR ), alongside former Syrian employees of Lafarge, in initiating the criminal complaint in 2016 and supporting victims throughout nearly a decade of proceedings. Their sustained efforts were instrumental in bringing this case before the French courts and advancing corporate accountability for serious international crimes. Despite their courage and central role in exposing the facts, the former Syrian employees were not admitted as civil parties; their fight for justice continues. Yazda testified alongside these organizations and former employees. On 9 December 2025, Navrouzov addressed the court to urge that the genocide of the Yazidis be given the attention it requires, ensuring that Yazidi voices were heard and that the tribunal fully grasped the consequences of financing terrorist groups. She stressed that “behind the figures, behind the negotiations to keep a factory running, there is the fate of a community. Financing a terrorist group is not a neutral act, it feeds a machine that kills, enslaves, and destroys.” The Court also declared Yazda’s civil party status admissible, recognizing the important role that organizations representing victims of terrorist groups play in the search for the truth. Yazda’s lawyer Luke Vidal commented: “We are pleased that Yazda's civil party application has been declared admissible. This recognition is the culmination of its founding mission: to defend the rights of the Yazidi community whenever criminal proceedings are brought in connection with the genocide of which it was a victim.” Ongoing Proceedings The defendants have 10 days to appeal the decision. If an appeal is filed, the case will be reviewed by a higher court, which may confirm, modify, or overturn the judgment. As such, the convictions and sentences are not yet final. In parallel, the investigation into Lafarge’s potential complicity in crimes against humanity remains ongoing. This separate judicial track, confirmed by French courts and still under investigation, could lead to a future trial, although no timeline has been set for the closing of the investigation. Yazda is a civil party in these proceedings and will continue to actively support the investigation, with the expectation that this part of the case will also be brought to trial. For Yazda and the survivors it represents, this phase is essential: it seeks to establish responsibility not only for financing terrorism, but for the broader system that enabled the commission of international crimes, including the genocide against the Yazidis and crimes against the Syrian civilians. --- Download this Press Release here . Read this Press Release in Arabic here . For media inquiries, please contact: info@yazda.org Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that was established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (ISIS) against the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq. Yazda manages a portfolio of humanitarian, justice, advocacy, and development-related projects, all of which are community and survivor-centered in terms of design and implementation. Since its inception, Yazda has been working with local and international partners to provide humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services to vulnerable minority groups in Iraq in their post-genocide recovery. The organization has been operating in Iraq since October 2014 and has main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a branch office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a non-profit organization in the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Since its creation, Yazda has received support from numerous donors, both institutional and individual, and has reached tens of thousands of direct and indirect beneficiaries through its programs and initiatives.