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New inquiry into Daesh crimes - Has the UK met its human rights obligations?

13 January 2025

The Joint Committee on Human Rights has announced a new inquiry into accountability for Daesh crimes, following up on work done in the previous Parliament.  

Daesh, also known as Islamic State, ISIS or ISIL, grew to prominence in the early 2010s, taking advantage of instability in Syria and Iraq to control large parts of their territory. In its campaigns, Daesh committed crimes including the persecution of the Yazidis and targeting of women and girls. It is estimated that 5,000 Yazidis were killed, while more than 200,000 Yazidis were displaced from their homes and over 2,700 abductees remain missing. 

It is estimated that approximately 425 Daesh fighters have since returned to the UK, but only around 32 individuals have been convicted of terrorism offences in UK courts. None have been convicted for international crimes, such as genocide. The UK Government has also blocked some individuals from returning to the UK, and deprived them of their citizenship. 

The new inquiry will examine what obligations the UK Government has under human rights law to respond to international crimes, such as genocide or torture, including how the UK has held individuals accountable for crimes committed in Syria or Iraq.  

To inform the inquiry, the Joint Committee on Human Rights has written to government ministers, requesting further information on its approach to dealing with the legacy of Daesh crimes. The correspondence is available here: 

Further information

Image: House of Commons