20.03.2026 Ezidi Times
A French court has, for the first time, formally recognised the genocide committed against the Ezidi people, marking a significant legal and historical development in Europe. The ruling comes in a case against French national Sabri Essid, tried in absentia for crimes committed during the attacks carried out by the so-called Islamic State against Ezidis in Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2016.
The court found him guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and complicity, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Although he is presumed dead, the proceedings moved forward due to the gravity of the crimes and the need for judicial recognition. This decision establishes an important precedent in France, where the atrocities against the Ezidi people had not previously been legally defined as genocide in a national court.
At the centre of the trial were the testimonies of survivors. One Ezidi woman, who endured years of captivity, described how her life was destroyed during the 2014 attack on Sinjar. She was captured along with her young child and husband, before being separated and subjected to repeated violence. She was transferred between multiple captors and sold several times in a system designed to exploit and dehumanise Ezidi women.
Her account outlined how women were forced into public spaces, displayed, and sold. She described being held by several men over a prolonged period, during which she experienced constant abuse and control. Despite the conditions, she eventually managed to escape with her child, navigating extreme risk to reach safety. Her husband remains missing.
The court also examined the background and behaviour of the accused. Testimony revealed a pattern of control and violence that predated his involvement with the extremist group. Once in Syria, this behaviour escalated in an environment where systematic crimes against Ezidis were organised and encouraged.
This trial is notable not only for the verdict but for its recognition of the specific intent behind the crimes. The targeting of Ezidis was not incidental; it formed part of a broader effort to destroy the Ezidi people through killings, abductions, forced conversions, and sexual enslavement. The ruling confirms that these acts meet the legal definition of genocide under international law.
The case was supported by legal teams and human rights organisations that have worked for years to document the crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. Their efforts, combined with the willingness of survivors to testify, made it possible for the court to establish a clear record of events.
For the Ezidi people, this moment represents a step toward accountability. While many perpetrators remain unpunished and thousands of Ezidis are still missing, the recognition by a European court contributes to the broader process of justice. It also reinforces the responsibility of national courts to address international crimes, even when committed outside their territory.
The ruling does not erase the suffering endured, but it formally acknowledges it. For survivors, that recognition carries weight. It places their experiences within a legal framework that defines what happened to them as one of the gravest crimes under international law.
This decision may influence future cases in Europe and beyond, encouraging further prosecutions related to the genocide against the Ezidi people. It also showed the importance of continued documentation, legal advocacy, and international attention to ensure that such crimes are neither denied nor forgotten.
