The testimony of Nadia Murad Basee Taha, survivor of Daesh

(B2) “I am one of the thousands of Yezidies who have been kidnapped. I became the object of Daesh rape and torture... When Daesh men attacked Sinjar (1) they gave us two options: convert or die.”.

The one who speaks thus, before the European Parliament, at the invitation of the Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), is just 21 years old. Her name is Nadia Murad Basee Taha. Very thin, dressed in black and very feminine. She speaks in a low voice, shortness of breath, holding back her emotion.

Captured then sold

« I am one of the 5800 women and children kidnapped by Daesh (2) When I was kidnapped I was held in central Mosul (northern Iraq) by a member of Daesh. I wanted to run away. But the house was permanently guarded. I was then sold. Finally I managed to escape. I was taken in by a Sunni family who helped me in Mosul. We are raped, sold, passed from one man to another... Few of us manage to flee. When you try to flee, the sentence... is gang rape. »

The man always capable of the worst

“Some people don't believe what is happening. They can't believe the worst horrors are still happening today. But it is. Children are taken away from their mothers. And we teach them to kill. We teach them what Daesh wants for the future ».

The international community did nothing

“We have been warning the international community for a year and a half. But nothing was done ! (...) We submitted a document to the International Court of Justice. But she hasn't considered it yet. We want our genocide recognized. If it is not approved by all the parliaments, we will disappear..."

Recognize these crimes as genocide

“If the crimes that are perpetrated against us are not recognized as genocide, we will not be able to return to our lands. Because we will have no confidence for that. What happens to us is because of our religious identity!. (...) We want these men brought to justice. This will be the only condition for us to achieve reconciliation. »

If I had a request...

“ISIS must be stopped. This is not only a threat against the Yezidis but against all of us! We must remain focused on one and only thing: to end Daesh”.

(Johanna Bouquet)

(1) city located in the northwest of Iraq near the Syrian border

(2) 3000 men were killed and 3500 women and children are still captive