Trial Regarding Ezidi Genocide to Begin in Munich
Trial Against Couple Accused of Enslaving and Abusing Ezidi Children Under IS to Begin Tomorrow in Munich (München), Germany.
On Monday, May 19, 2025, the Munich Higher Regional Court will begin the trial of a couple accused of enslaving, abusing, and sexually assaulting two Ezidi girls aged five and twelve under the rule of the so-called Islamic State (IS). The crimes took place between 2015 and 2017 in Iraq and Syria. The charges include genocide, reflecting IS’s targeted campaign against the ancient Ezidi people, who follow the Sharfadin religion.
The accused couple, originally from Iraq and Bavaria, reportedly purchased the two girls and forced them into domestic slavery. The husband is accused of sexual abuse and forced labor, while the wife allegedly applied makeup to the younger child and justified the abuse using distorted religious arguments.
The younger girl remains missing after the couple fled to Germany in 2018. The older girl was freed after her family paid a ransom and is expected to testify during the trial. A key witness will be Sandra M., an IS returnee whose testimony is crucial but contested by the defense.
Investigations revealed possible pedocriminal networks within IS exploiting Ezidi children. This trial is an important step for justice, pursued under the universal jurisdiction principle, allowing German courts to prosecute genocide and sexual violence committed abroad.
The hearings are expected to continue for several months and have drawn significant attention from the Ezidis and human rights advocates worldwide.
