Belgium Opens First Trial Linked to Yazidi Genocide
A Belgian jihadist accused of genocide against the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria goes on trial in absentia, marking a significant step in prosecuting mass crimes.
In a landmark case for international justice, Belgium has commenced its first trial related to the genocide committed against the Yazidi religious minority by the Daesh group.
The defendant, Sammy Djedou, is accused of involvement in systematic atrocities against the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2016.
Despite being reported killed during a 2016 U.S. airstrike in Raqqa, Syrian authorities have not confirmed his death, leading to his trial in absentia.
Djedou, originally from Brussels, converted to Islam at 15 and traveled to Syria in October 2012 to join Daesh.
He is believed to have risen through the ranks to become a senior figure in the group's external operations unit, tasked with planning attacks on European soil.
In 2021, he was sentenced to 13 years for leading a terrorist group in Belgium.
Djedou has also been implicated in supporting networks behind the November 2015 Paris attacks that resulted in 130 deaths.
The Yazidis, primarily residing in northern Iraq, faced severe persecution beginning August 2014 when Daesh launched brutal attacks against them.
Thousands were displaced as part of a campaign the United Nations deems genocidal.
According to UN reports, thousands of Yazidi women and girls were subjected to rape, abduction, and enslavement, which prosecutors argue was institutionalized by Daesh and became a significant part of their economy.
The trial in Brussels, expected to last one week, will see three identified victims testify against Djedou, including two who were minors during the alleged crimes.
Belgian counter-terrorism authorities have relied heavily on evidence gathered by journalists and NGOs after the fall of Baghouz, Daesh's final stronghold in 2019.
This case marks a crucial step towards accountability for mass crimes committed by Daesh, highlighting the need for global legal frameworks to address such atrocities effectively.
The defendant, Sammy Djedou, is accused of involvement in systematic atrocities against the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2016.
Despite being reported killed during a 2016 U.S. airstrike in Raqqa, Syrian authorities have not confirmed his death, leading to his trial in absentia.
Djedou, originally from Brussels, converted to Islam at 15 and traveled to Syria in October 2012 to join Daesh.
He is believed to have risen through the ranks to become a senior figure in the group's external operations unit, tasked with planning attacks on European soil.
In 2021, he was sentenced to 13 years for leading a terrorist group in Belgium.
Djedou has also been implicated in supporting networks behind the November 2015 Paris attacks that resulted in 130 deaths.
The Yazidis, primarily residing in northern Iraq, faced severe persecution beginning August 2014 when Daesh launched brutal attacks against them.
Thousands were displaced as part of a campaign the United Nations deems genocidal.
According to UN reports, thousands of Yazidi women and girls were subjected to rape, abduction, and enslavement, which prosecutors argue was institutionalized by Daesh and became a significant part of their economy.
The trial in Brussels, expected to last one week, will see three identified victims testify against Djedou, including two who were minors during the alleged crimes.
Belgian counter-terrorism authorities have relied heavily on evidence gathered by journalists and NGOs after the fall of Baghouz, Daesh's final stronghold in 2019.
This case marks a crucial step towards accountability for mass crimes committed by Daesh, highlighting the need for global legal frameworks to address such atrocities effectively.
