An Iraqi court has sentenced Asma Mohammed, one of the widows of the late Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to death for her involvement in crimes against Yazidi women. The trial, held in the Karha Criminal Court, concluded with Mohammed being found guilty of holding Yazidi women captive in her home and facilitating their abduction by ISIS terrorist groups in the Sinjar region.
According to the Iraqi Judicial Council, Mohammed's actions were prosecuted under Iraq's anti-terrorism law and the Yazidi Survivors Law. The sentencing comes in the aftermath of ISIS's 2014 offensive against the Yazidi minority in Sinjar, which led to mass killings, abductions, and sexual violence against women and girls. The United Nations has classified these atrocities as genocide.
Although the official statement did not initially name the accused, court officials confirmed her identity as Asma Mohammed. She was apprehended in Turkey in 2018 and subsequently extradited to Iraq for trial. In addition to Mohammed, another wife of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his daughter were sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with similar charges.
The sentencing of Mohammed has sparked both praise and criticism. Survivors of ISIS attacks in Iraq have welcomed the decision as a step towards justice, expressing frustration over perceived delays and setbacks in holding ISIS members accountable. However, human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns about due process and fair trials, highlighting the risk of mass executions under Iraq's anti-terrorism measures.
The case points to the ongoing efforts by Iraqi authorities to prosecute individuals associated with ISIS for their roles in human rights abuses and terrorism. Despite challenges, including the rollback of UN investigations into ISIS crimes, Iraq continues to pursue justice for victims of ISIS atrocities.
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