In recent years, the world has witnessed the mass crimes committed by the Islamic State (IS) against the Yazidi minority in Syria and Iraq. The ongoing trial in Sweden against Lina Ishaq, charged with genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, marks a significant step towards justice for the Yazidi community. While the accused has systematically denied her role in these crimes and has consistently portrayed herself as a victim, playing on gender prejudices within the conflict, the tribunal has succeeded in gathering testimonies from direct victims and witnesses who were present in Syria with her and have testified to her role in the abduction of Yazidis.
The trial focuses on the role of Lina Ishaq, a Swedish national who joined the Islamic State and has already been convicted. In 2022, a Stockholm court sentenced Ishaq to six years in prison for failing to prevent her 12-year-old son from becoming a child soldier in Syria, where he was killed in the civil war. Now, she faces additional charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and gross war crimes due to her alleged participation in the purchasing and enslaving of Yazidi women and children. These actions included the subjection of the victims to severe suffering, torture, inhuman treatment, and forced conversion, contributing to the systematic persecution of the Yazidi community.
Swedish authorities, in coordination with UNITAD, have worked to identify Yazidi victims and facilitate their participation in the proceedings. Nine victims have come from Iraq and other countries where they have found refuge to testify and face their former captor, this time with her shackled and deprived of her freedom. The evidence presented in the trial includes harrowing accounts from the victims, detailing the brutal treatment they endured. The trial also highlights the ideological basis of IS, which justified these crimes as part of their extremist interpretation of Islam.
A significant focus of the trial is the role of women returnees, such as Lina Ishaq, who traveled to Syria to support IS. While none of the testimonies have implicated her in sexual violence crimes, We are NOT Weapons of War is monitoring the trial to assess how national courts handle cases of sexual violence committed by IS members. IS systematically used sexual violence during the conflict, yet national courts have not recognized and condemned these acts as core international crimes.
In Europe, few male IS members—the primary perpetrators of sexual violence—have been arrested or prosecuted. Instead, female returnees, have faced prosecution, mostly for their association with a terrorist organization, rather than for international criminal crimes. However, this is beginning to change as judicial systems grow more aware of the gender biases that have historically framed women only as victims, now recognizing them as potential war criminals as well. Some countries are now prosecuting female IS members for the full scope of their crimes, including those defined under international law. This shift ensures a more accurate understanding of their responsibilities and delivers better justice to the victims. Prosecuting sexual and gender-based violence as international crimes is essential for accountability and honoring Yazidi survivors.
As this trial progresses, We are NOT Weapons of War remains committed to advocating for Yazidi rights and ensuring that victims’ voices are heard. The trial in Sweden is a critical step toward justice for the Yazidi community and accountability for these mass crimes. It also underscores the need to challenge gender biases in judicial processes and recognize sexual violence as a core element of international crimes. We will continue documenting the proceedings and providing updates on this important case.
