REPUBLIC OF IRAQ: Kurdish authorities must end disgraceful detention of Yezidi woman who survived IS captivity

14 Sep 2016

[International Secretariat]

Region: REPUBLIC OF IRAQ

Topic: Regional conflict

Bassema Darwish, a 34-year-old mother of three from the Babira village in Ninewa Governorate, has been detained by the KRG since October 2014. She has been accused of complicity with IS forces who killed three members of one of KRG's armed forces when they arrived at the house where she was being held captive in Zummar, north-western Iraq.

"Yezidi women abducted by IS have suffered truly harrowing abuses including rape and sexual slavery. In the case of Bassema Darwish, liberation from IS captivity did not put an end to her mistreatment. Instead of detaining her for nearly two years in violation of her rights, the authorities should ensure she receives medical and psychosocial assistance, as well as counselling, to help her overcome her ordeal in captivity," said Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International.

Relatives, activists and officials told Amnesty International that Bassema Darwish was abducted by IS fighters, along with her husband and 33 other relatives, on 3 August 2014 as they tried to flee the city of Sinjar. She was pregnant at the time. The abductees were initially moved to Tal 'Afar, where women and children, including Bassema Darwish, were separated from men. The fate of 31 of her relatives remains unknown. She is currently detained at Erbil's Women and Juvenile Prison and gave birth to her daughter Nour Hussein while in custody.

"It is shocking that the Kurdistan Regional Government, which has consistently condemned IS atrocities against the Yezidi community, is holding a survivor of these abuses on terrorism charges and denying her basic legal rights," said Philip Luther.

The head of investigations at the Anti-Terrorism Directorate, who met with Amnesty International in August 2016, said that when Peshmerga forces arrived at the site where Bassema Darwish was being held captive in Zummar, she deceived them by saying the house was empty. He claimed that IS fighters hidden inside then killed three members of the Peshmerga as they entered the house.

He argued that Bassema Darwish had been "radicalized", had deliberately tricked the Peshmerga forces, and was responsible for their deaths. He said that she is being held under the anti-terrorism law and that her case has been referred to court, but a hearing has yet to be scheduled.

The Anti-Terrorism Directorate denied Amnesty International's request to see Bassema Darwish in prison during a trip to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in August. Lawyers who sought to visit her in prison were also denied access. Amy Beam, the founder of the Amy, Azadi and Jiyan humanitarian NGO, told Amnesty International she has been threatened by the Asayish (KRG security agency) over her efforts to secure Bassema Darwish's release.

Amnesty International has raised Bassema Darwish's case with the authorities on multiple occasions to no avail, most recently in a letter to KRG President Masoud Barzani on 26 August.

Amnesty International is also calling on the KRG to release Bassema Darwish from custody until an ordinary, civilian court rules on the merits of any accusation against her, given her background, vulnerability and child-care responsibilities.

12 September 2016
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE