Iraq
Qassim Shasho, commander of Peshmerga forces in Shingall, speaking to Rudaw on October 17, 2023. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Nineveh court issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for Qassim Shasho, commander of the Yazidi Peshmerga unit in Shingal district, on charges of blasphemy.
The specific charge is “insulting Muhammad (PBUH), the Prophet of Islam, and inciting religious conflict” and the warrant was issued after a video was shared on social media of Shasho making a controversial remark.
In the video, Shasho is heard saying, "We should not say orders have ended. Orders will not end as long as we live. I am responsible for what I am saying, as long as Mohammed [referring to Islam] exists, orders against us will not end. They are the enemies of our religion."
The term "order," or "farman" in Kurdish, is used by Yazidis to describe the disasters and genocides that they have suffered.
Yazidi history says that the minority has suffered 73 genocides, most recently at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS), which seized large areas in Iraq and Syria in 2014. In the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in northern Iraq, the group killed about 5,000 Yazidi men and older women, burying some in mass graves, and enslaved nearly 7,000 women and children.
Shasho’s statement elicited a range of reactions, from hate speech and criticism to defense and support. Some social media users warned his comments could make things worse for Yezidis and others said Muslims should be open to hearing such criticisms.
After the video of Shasho was shared online, Yazidis said they have received hate speech online.
“Yazidis have reached out to Yazda, fearing imminent attacks. We urge national and international actors to prioritize safety,” Yazda organization, which advocates for Yazidis and provides services for genocide survivors, said in a post on X.
At an Erbil event this week marking the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called the tragedy a “turning point” in Iraq’s and the Kurdistan Region’s history, urging the international community to ensure such crimes are never repeated.
Shasho’s nephew said the situation has been exaggerated.
"This issue, despite our clarifications, has been greatly exaggerated. The intention is to confuse matters, which is why supporters of ISIS are taking advantage of it," Haidar Shasho told Rudaw on Thursday.
Like his uncle, Haidar Shasho is a military commander, leading the Ezidixan protection forces, a Yazidi force within the Peshmerga ministry.
“If these actions persist, we will take a stand, as those opposing us today have never spoken against the violations and neglect committed against our people,” he said.
Updated at 11:02 pm.
Hemin Baban Rahim contributed to this report.
The specific charge is “insulting Muhammad (PBUH), the Prophet of Islam, and inciting religious conflict” and the warrant was issued after a video was shared on social media of Shasho making a controversial remark.
In the video, Shasho is heard saying, "We should not say orders have ended. Orders will not end as long as we live. I am responsible for what I am saying, as long as Mohammed [referring to Islam] exists, orders against us will not end. They are the enemies of our religion."
The term "order," or "farman" in Kurdish, is used by Yazidis to describe the disasters and genocides that they have suffered.
Yazidi history says that the minority has suffered 73 genocides, most recently at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS), which seized large areas in Iraq and Syria in 2014. In the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in northern Iraq, the group killed about 5,000 Yazidi men and older women, burying some in mass graves, and enslaved nearly 7,000 women and children.
Shasho’s statement elicited a range of reactions, from hate speech and criticism to defense and support. Some social media users warned his comments could make things worse for Yezidis and others said Muslims should be open to hearing such criticisms.
After the video of Shasho was shared online, Yazidis said they have received hate speech online.
“Yazidis have reached out to Yazda, fearing imminent attacks. We urge national and international actors to prioritize safety,” Yazda organization, which advocates for Yazidis and provides services for genocide survivors, said in a post on X.
At an Erbil event this week marking the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called the tragedy a “turning point” in Iraq’s and the Kurdistan Region’s history, urging the international community to ensure such crimes are never repeated.
Shasho’s nephew said the situation has been exaggerated.
"This issue, despite our clarifications, has been greatly exaggerated. The intention is to confuse matters, which is why supporters of ISIS are taking advantage of it," Haidar Shasho told Rudaw on Thursday.
Like his uncle, Haidar Shasho is a military commander, leading the Ezidixan protection forces, a Yazidi force within the Peshmerga ministry.
“If these actions persist, we will take a stand, as those opposing us today have never spoken against the violations and neglect committed against our people,” he said.
Updated at 11:02 pm.
Hemin Baban Rahim contributed to this report.
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