Baghdad: The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has made it clear that individuals involved in the kidnapping and enslavement of Yazidi women will not benefit from the general amnesty law. This decision was highlighted during a meeting involving Sarab Elias Barakat, the Director General of the General Directorate of Survivors’ Affairs, and Judge Ali Hussein Jaffat, the head of the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the ministry emphasized in a statement that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are specifically excluded from the General Amnesty Law No. (27) of 2016, especially in light of the latest amendment approved by the House of Representatives, which is set to take effect on January 21, 2025. The exclusion is consistent with Article (9/First) of the Yazidi Survivors Law No. (8) of 2021, which clearly states that individuals guilty of kidnapping and enslaving Yazidis shall not be granted any form of amnesty.

Sarab Elias Barakat express
ed her appreciation for the ongoing cooperation and efforts in documenting the crimes against Yazidis, underscoring the critical importance of supporting initiatives aimed at alleviating the survivors’ suffering and ensuring justice is served.