Oct 07, 2014

Practice of Slavery Expanding in IS-Controlled Middle East


As the Islamic State (IS) began expanding its territory of occupation earlier this year, few realized the impact it would have on the people living in the affected region. Reports from the war-torn territories - both from IS defectors and from those who have been subjected to the detestable treatment of IS - have exposed the true scale of human rights abuses to international attention. Individual beheadings, mass-executions, rape of women and children, sexual slavery, and forced recruitment of children are on the long list of atrocities committed by IS.

UNPO carefully documents the developments and abuses, and cooperates with several minorities in the region, all of whom have been severely affected by the conflict. Iraqi Turkmen, Kurds, Assyrians and Yazidis are all being targeted in despicable acts of violence by IS for their beliefs and values. So far in 2014, as many as 9,347 civilians have been killed. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, has argued that the actions of IS may amount to ‘crimes against humanity’ on a large-scale. The IS has also been systematically destroying buildings and desecrating areas that have religious and cultural significance for minorities in the IS- controlled areas.  

Recent reports on sexual slavery perpetrated by the IS have brought visibility to one of the less covered, but equally heinous human rights violations. Eyewitness accounts describe how the IS first executed “apostate” men of Iraqi minorities and indigenous groups, then gathered the women and gave them as rewards or sold them as slaves in an appalling act of large-scale trafficking. 

Women and girls are brought to slave-markets with attached price tags as buyers from local communities negotiate over their prices; local prices roughly amount to approximately $10. Estimates of how many women and children have been sold into slavery vary from 500 to around 2,500. 

Interviewees have described how the IS first beats captured women, then sells them; separating mothers from their children and finally forcing them to watch videos showing acts of violence, such as beheadings, performed on men from their communities.

In 2013, UNPO launched the ‘International Campaign Against Slavery’ campaign, dedicated to bringing the practice of slavery to international attention. UNPO strongly condemns the recent developments in Iraq and is appalled by the spread and prevalence of sexual slavery in IS-controlled territories. The brutal and horrific nature of gender-based violence, exploitation and enslavement is a haunting reminder of the inter-connectedness of human rights, and their violations.