Syria – January Update 1
No justice for Christian genocide survivors
Barnabas Fund 21 Dec 2017
Survivors of Islamic State’s genocide against Christians are not receiving justice in government trials of militants.
Former Islamic State fighters are being tried under counter terror laws “without any distinction based on the gravity of the offences they are accused of committing.”
Authorities have made “no efforts to solicit victims’ participation in the trials,” – Christians have not been able to give evidence as witnesses.
The use of counter terror laws to secure convictions appears to be an effort to clear a large backlog of cases. But it has left victims side-lined and raises the prospect that the perpetrators of the genocide against Christians and other minorities may never be held fully accountable.