A Swedish court sentenced a woman to prison on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and gross war crimes. This ruling comes after the woman kept six children and three women from the Yazidi ethnic and religious group as slaves in her home in Raqqa, Syria. The Stockholm District Court found her guilty of her involvement in these heinous acts, which followed the capture of the victims during ISIS attacks on Yazidi villages in Northern Iraq's Sinjar district in August 2014.
The victims endured systematic rape by male ISIS members and were forced to abandon their own religious practices in favor of Islamic customs. They were compelled to perform domestic chores and lived under harsh conditions, deprived of basic necessities such as food and clean water. The woman's home became a prison where the victims were held and abused for up to five months before some managed to escape with the help of smugglers. However, three of the children remained enslaved for years before gaining freedom.
Raqqa, considered the capital of ISIS's self-proclaimed "caliphate," fell under the group's control in 2014. The woman played a key role in transferring the victims to be further enslaved by other ISIS members, exacerbating their suffering. Her actions were part of a broader pattern of enslavement, as these individuals had already been held captive by various male ISIS members before arriving at her residence.
“The crimes do not only constitute an exceptionally serious violation of the life and integrity of specific individuals, but also of fundamental human values and humanity,” stated the court.
The court emphasized the egregious nature of the crimes committed, highlighting how these acts represent a profound breach of human dignity and integrity. The victims' ordeal underscores the severe violations inflicted upon them by being treated as property, stripping them of their humanity.
“To exercise the powers attaching to right of ownership over another human being is a tremendous violation of the integrity of that person, as it deprives the person of their human dignity,” the court further asserted.
