ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Nations team in Iraq investigating crimes by the Islamic State (ISIS) detailed its international efforts to advance justice on Sunday, including at least 18 cases resulting in indictments and 15 convictions in other countries.
"The Team received some 300 requests for assistance from twenty-one (21) third States, aiding many [ISIS]-related national investigations and prosecutions..." the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS (UNITAD) said in a statement.
At least "18 cases under investigation supported by the Team led to indictments" in other countries, according to UNITAD, and "15 cases ultimately ended up in convictions" internationally.
UNITAD is set to close on Tuesday. The UN body released its most detailed report on ISIS crimes on Wednesday consisting of "over 20 million pages, representing 445,000 case files."
Also of note, "UNITAD's support resulted in landmark convictions for international crimes committed in Iraq, including by Iraqi nationals," the statement added.
UNITAD, while closely cooperating with Iraq, "played a pivotal role in supporting domestic efforts relating to the investigation of crimes committed by ISIL (Da'esh) in Iraq to ensure justice is also served in third States."
The cooperation of "Iraqi investigative judges" to build joint casefiles on ISIS “persons of interest” residing in other countries, including Iraqi nationals" was crucial, according to the statement.
These efforts, UNITAD said, contributed to "global accountability efforts in ensuring there are no safe havens for those having committed in Iraq acts that may amount to crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide."
UNITAD was established in 2017 to investigate crimes by ISIS. The investigative team has had a difficult relationship with the Iraqi government over various issues like information-sharing and Baghdad’s usage of capital punishment. Additionally, the United Nations’ Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) has announced it will leave the country in 2025.
A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report in August expressed concern that ending the UN investigatory team's mission will leave a gap that Baghdad cannot adequately fill.
“Many things are going to get worse when they leave. I’m not sure that the Iraqi government has the capacity to fill the gap that will be left by UNITAD’s departure," Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at HRW, said in a report in August.
Alannah Travers, wrote in the Fikra Forum, an initiative of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on Wednesday, encouraging all relevant parties to weigh UNITAD's accomplishments over seven years with its limitations and to consider what comes next for Iraq's survivors and attempts for justice.
"The end of UNITAD’s mandate does not have to mark the end of justice for ISIL survivors; it can also signal the opportunity to re-open a survivor-centered prosecution mechanism in Iraq," Travers wrote.
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