For many days now, the political and security situation in Sinjar has been raising concerns, and the youth of this city, who have been negatively afflicted by the terrorist gangs of ISIS, and forgotten by successive governments, have being demonstrating to have their demands met. They are demonstrating due to the recent clashes that took place in early May, inside the center of the North District, the Hittin complex and other areas within the Sinjar district.

Sadly, a few days ago, we received news of the assassination of the civil activist (Jamil Suleiman Ailo Al-Zaru), a protester named by his fellow city citizens as Sheikh Jamil. His body was found on the outskirts of the Dhola complex.

As human rights defenders, we send our condolences to Sheikh Jamil’s family, friends and lovers and express our full solidarity with civil activists, as well as every human rights defender throughout the country, and in particular those within the Sinjar district. At the same time, we renew our calls to the Iraqi government, to heed its constitutional, legal and humanitarian duty, to ensure the security of Iraqi citizens of every colour, religion and nationality without delay. We also call on the Iraqi government to take all the necessary steps to protect peaceful demonstrators and activists. We stress how vital it is that this protection is given immediately, so solutions can be developed that will guarantee the removal of Sinjar from the state of conflict it is in at present, and will also ensure that political disputes do not develop into military conflict, the price of which is paid by the innocent and defenseless citizens of Sinjar.

The suffering of the people of Sinjar has been immense, and threatens their very existence as native Iraqi people. If this suffering continues and violations are repeated, there will be no option but emigration for its citizens, and soon the area will be left empty.

For our campaign to protect human rights defenders, we stand in solidarity with all the legitimate demands being made, and with all forms of peaceful protest. We demand that the killers of Sheikh Jamil be revealed as soon as possible, and renew our demand to expose the demonstrators and activist killers of the October uprising. We want accountability for all those responsible, and for the malicious false allegations about the protests to be dropped. The fate of the disappeared and forcibly deported must be revealed, ensuring that there will be no impunity.