Atrocities Committed Against the Yazidi: First Conviction of a French National for Genocide

The Cour de Cassation in Paris, France where the judgment was delivered.

On 20 March 2026, the Paris Criminal Court found Sabri Essid (alias Abou Dojanah al-Faransi), a French jihadist and former high-official of the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS), guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and complicity in these crimes, committed against Yazidi women and their children, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

For the first time, a French national has been convicted of genocide. This is also the first time that a French court has issued a judgement relating to the atrocities committed by ISIS against the Yazidi community.

This is a major step forward in the long and enduring quest to justice of Yazidi survivors. It is especially more important considering the recent step-backs survivors have faced with the closure in 2024 of the UN investigative body UNITAD, which was stablished to collect and preserve evidence of atrocities committed by ISIS  in Iraq.

Yazda, a Duhok-based civil society organization working with minorities and survivors of atrocity crimes, had joined this case as a civil party alongside three Yazidi victims and their eight children. During the investigation phase, the judge relied on different Yazda reports on the mapping of mass graves and cartographies, which also proved critical during the trial period. When it testified before the tribunal, Yazda emphasized on the long-lasting consequences of the genocide on the Yazidi community. The organization’s role was also key in monitoring the trial, providing regular updates on the trial in both English and Arabic to keep the community informed.

Demonstrating JRR’s long-term commitment to Yazda’s essential work and to promoting the rights and access to justice for victims and survivors, JRR has been working with Yazda since 2017 to strengthen its capacity in documenting gross human rights violations and international crimes. 

Over the years, JRR provided, among others, psychosocial support, child rights and legal expertise as well as sexual and gender-based investigators to Yazda, and will continue doing so to build their capacity and support their accountability efforts.

Yazda Press Releases and updates on the trial can be found here.