Thousands of Yezidis fled Mount Sinjar in Iraq

YEREVAN—Armenia’s National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relation on Thursday approved a draft statement recognizing and condemning the genocide perpetrated against the Yezidi people by terrorists groups on territories of Iraq under their control. The issue will now be discussed at a plenary session of the Parliament.

The draft statement attaches importance to the efforts of the international community aimed at implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

It emphasizes the responsibility of states to respect the rights of ethnic and religious minorities stipulated by international law.

The statement reiterates the commitment of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people to fight to prevent genocides and other crimes against humanity.

If passed, the Armenian National Assembly will recognize and strongly condemn the acts of genocide against the Yezidi people on territories of the Republic of Iraq controlled by terrorist groups. It will deplore all expressions of terrorism and extremist ideology, the targeted persecution and cruel attitude towards the Yezidi people on the above mentioned territories.

The Armenian Parliament will also call to investigate those crimes through international structures and hold the perpetrators accountable.

It will call on the international community to take measures to ensure the security of the Yezidi population and provide them with humanitarian assistance, to spare no efforts to prevent human rights violations.

The draft statement will be discussed during the Standing Committee’s sitting on January 11.

The authorities in Iraq are aware of the process and have a positive stance. Members of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations were briefed on the issue during a visit to Armenia.