Yazidi women victims of Australian IS terrorist seek redress

The first legal action to redress IS victims was heard in the New South Wales’ Civil and Administrative Tribunal this week.

Yazidi Kurdish women chant slogans during a protest against the Islamic State group's invasion on Sinjar city on 3/8/15. Source: AAP

Taban Shoresh Founder of The Lotus Flower, a non-for-profit organization for displaced women, tells SBS Kurdish that the Australian justice system is capable of leading the way to bring justice to the Yazidi women who suffered immensely as IS captives.

“The unique situation that we have currently, the case we have submitted is by victims who were held by a foreign national, and that foreign national was an Australian national.”

With the help of a group of international lawyers, the UK-based The Lotus Flower is seeking compensation for a group of Yazidi women who say they were used as sex-slaves, raped and abused by an Australian IS terrorist believed to be the notorious Khaled Sharrouf.

Source: AFP

Originally from north of Iraq, the women claim they were held by Sharrouf in Raqqa, Syria, the IS capital at the time.

The group are seeking compensation via the Victim’s Compensation Scheme, and for the frozen assets of the Australian-national IS fighter to be sold for this purpose.

“The reason we’re asking for the frozen assets to be sold on is so that taxpayers’ money aren’t used,” Ms Shoresh said.

Australia has now supported hundreds of Yazidi families by offering them humanitarian visas, including women who were held as sex-slaves by IS, and resettling them in Australia.

The Lotus Flower founder Taban Shoresh. Source: Supplied

Ms Shoresh says Australia has already shown great sympathy and support to the Yazidi victims.

“We think this is a great opportunity for them [Australia] to lead the way and show the world that they can and will provide justice for the Yazidi victims.

“We are not just asking Australia, but we’re asking all states around the world to collectively take the frozen assets of foreign IS fighters and collectively put it into some sort of mechanism whereby that is redistributed for the victims.”

Khaled Sharrouf travelled to Syria in 2013 with his brother’s passport, and was later joined by his Australian wife and children. Sharrouf was also the first Australian dual citizen to have his citizenship revoked under 2017 counter terrorism laws. That same year he was reported to have been killed in Iraq.

Source: Khaled Sharrouf -7news

Ms Shoresh also believes that stripping foreign fighters of their nationality is not a complete solution.

“One of the main reasons is in this discussion of IS brides and IS fighters or anyone having their citizenship revoked, one of the big things that seem to be forgotten is actually the victims of these perpetrators… True brutal war crimes have been committed by IS members, and so revoking them of their citizenship, takes away every right from the victims to have justice.”  

The case was heard at the New South Wales’ Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Friday, and will continue with a substantive hearing on June 14.