Iraq urges global recognition of ISIS genocide on Human Rights Day

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Iraqi government emphasized that the international community faces a "significant challenge" in convincing people of its commitment to human rights if it fails to acknowledge the genocide involving the killing and displacement of thousands of unarmed civilians, coinciding with the seventh anniversary of Iraq's victory over ISIS and International Human Rights Day.

"December 10, 2024, marks the 76th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first international document endorsed by the United Nations to record rights and freedoms, representing a compilation of the historical legacy from various legal systems worldwide," government spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi stated.

He added, "This coincides with Iraq's victory over ISIS terrorism, where our people stood shoulder to shoulder with all branches of the armed forces to defend the nation and heed the call of the wise religious authority."

"The declaration's noble purpose is to protect human dignity, promote respect, and ensure equal enjoyment of rights and freedoms, forming the foundation for freedom, justice, and peace globally."

Al-Awadi emphasized that "the Iraqi government remains committed to all rights and freedoms stipulated in the Iraqi constitution, national laws, and international agreements and treaties ratified by Iraq, adhering to the principle of equality for all Iraqi citizens."

He further noted that "since its formation in 2022, the Iraqi government has been dedicated to protecting all aspects of human rights, principles of citizenship, and social justice, rejecting discrimination, and enhancing security and stability to safeguard the country's higher interests, providing a common ground for all Iraqis to move forward without discrimination, as per our permanent constitution."

Al-Awadi stressed that "feeling humanitarian suffering anywhere in the world represents a moral, religious, and legal obligation for the Government of the Republic of Iraq, through its consistent support for the just Palestinian cause and providing urgent aid to our brothers in Gaza and Lebanon."

"On this occasion, we remind everyone that crimes of genocide involving the killing and displacement of thousands of unarmed civilians, and the failure to recognize international legitimacy and the decisions of international judicial institutions and the Human Rights Council, among other international mechanisms, place the entire international community before a significant challenge in convincing the world's peoples of the rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," he concluded.

ISIS committed numerous atrocities in Iraq, particularly targeting minority groups like the Yazidis. Their crimes included mass executions, forced religious conversions, sexual slavery, and widespread violence. By December 2017, Iraq declared victory over ISIS, marking the end of its territorial control in the country.