Article

Cultural heritage destruction during the Islamic State's genocide against the Yazidis

Seán Fobbe, Natia Navrouzov, Kristen Hopper, Ahmed Khudida Burjus, Graham Philip, Maher G Nawaf, Daniel Lawrence, Helen Walasek, Sara Birjandian, Majid Hassan Ali, Salim Rashidani, Hassan Salih, Dawood Sulaiman Qari and Faris Mishko

• The Asian yearbook of human rights and humanitarian law, Vol. 5, 2021, p. 111-144

English

Discussions of the 2014 genocide committed by the Islamic State against the Êzidîs (also known as ‘Yazidis’ or ‘Yezidis’) have generally focused on murder, slavery and sexual exploitation. This paper analyzes the destruction of Êzidî tangible and intangible cultural heritage as a significant facet of the Islamic State’s policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide. The authors provide original research, evidence and context on the destruction of Êzidî tangible cultural heritage in the Bahzani/Bashiqa and Sinjar areas of northern Iraq. They conclude that the destruction of the cultural heritage of the Êzidî people constituted a war crime, a crime against humanity (persecution) and compelling evidence of genocidal intent. They recommend the consideration of cultural heritage destruction in any prosecution of atrocity crimes, especially the crime of genocide.

• The Asian yearbook of human rights and humanitarian law
• The Asian yearbook of human rights and humanitarian law [Vol. 5 (2021)]