Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Monday, 4 July 2022, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 18 July 2022. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Monday, 18 July 2022 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Iraq and Syria: Yazidis

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there has been genocide of the Yazidi people at the hands of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Answer

The UK is committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the Genocide Convention, to which the UK is party. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. However, this policy does not inhibit the UK from taking robust action to address the egregious human rights abuses committed by Daesh.

We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Yazidis, Christians, and other minorities, as well as Muslim populations in Syria and Iraq. We note the conviction in a German court on 30 November 2021 of a former Daesh fighter for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. We are following this case and its review closely. We will continue to use our position at the UN, including as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to raise situations of concern and to support the deployment of all appropriate tools available to the UN in dealing with potential mass atrocities. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence and protecting civilians.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL1412
Session
2022-23
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Iraq Genocide Minority groups Syria Islamic State Yazidis
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk