UNITAD Delivers Evidence of ISIS Crimes to KRG

On August 25, 2024, Acting Special Adviser and Head of UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS (UNITAD) Ana Peyro Llopis delivered processed

UNITAD Delivers Evidence of ISIS Crimes to KRG

On August 25, 2024, Acting Special Adviser and Head of UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS (UNITAD) Ana Peyro Llopis delivered processed information held by the team to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Coordinator for International Advocacy Dr. Dindar Zebari, UNITAD said in a press release on August 25.

UNITAD said that this information, received from judicial and non-judicial authorities in the Kurdistan Region in support of UNITAD’s mandate, was enhanced by the team through categorization and tagging, and analyzed for legal review.

UNITAD also said it “represents an important step forward towards facilitating the rapid identification and handling of information that may be relevant to investigations when used in conjunction with appropriate e-discovery software and remains critical for accountability efforts in Iraq and beyond.”

“The structured version of this information represents a major step forward in our efforts to support the Kurdistan Region’s investigative processes,” Llopis said. “This information is crucial for advancing accountability for the crimes committed by ISIS, both within Iraq and globally.”

She also reiterated UNITAD’s gratitude to the KRG for its constructive engagement with the team over the years.

Read More: KRG Not Included in Discussions of UNITAD Mandate in New York

Another version of this information, totaling 45.95 gigabytes in its original, unaltered state, was delivered on July 11, 2024 to the KRG, in line with Security Council Resolution No. 2697.

“This initiative represents a significant step forward, providing regional courts with valuable resources for future prosecutions of perpetrators. The process is ongoing and is expected to further strengthen the judicial capabilities in the region,” Zebari said in a statement on the 10th anniversary of the Yezidi genocide on August 3.

Zebari also emphasized that the KRG has provided substantial support to UNITAD in gathering information and documenting evidence. “These efforts are crucial in supporting the investigation of ISIS crimes, prosecuting the perpetrators, and providing reparations to victims and their families.”

Read More: KRG Asks for Return of Evidence Collected by UNITAD

Zebari told Kurdistan Chronicle on June 6 that his office had assigned a team of KRG judicial and executive authorities to receive the documents, hard drives, data, and case files submitted to UNITAD in the last three years.

UNITAD was first established in 2017 to investigate ISIS crimes in Syria and Iraq. However, Iraq has decided to end the UNITAD mission by September 2024 because it has not provided evidence to Iraqi courts.


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