Statement from the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights Condemning Hate Speech in Iraq

Peace message from a Yazidi women
Peace message from a Yazidi women

Berlin, August 8, 2024 – The Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights, a charitable organisation which supports survivors of human rights violations, defends fundamental freedoms, promotes democratic values worldwide, and provides support including mental health and medical treatment to survivors of trauma, terror, domestic violence, and human rights violations throughout Kurdistan, Iraq, and Syria, condemns hate speech in all forms, including the recent surge of hate speech targeting the Yazidi community in Iraq. The Jiyan Foundation is concerned by all malicious acts that threaten peace, solidarity, and coexistence within the region.

The Jiyan Foundation unequivocally condemns hate speech against any religion and stands firmly against extremism in all its forms. We are concerned about the potential escalation of this situation.

 

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The Jiyan Foundation has a longstanding commitment to peace and mutual support between the communities. For years now, our dialogue program and Youth Network have brought together people from the Yezidi and Muslim communities. We condemn attempts to frame the opposite side as enemies and the current wave of hate speech against the Yazidi community. We call upon the governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to take the concerns of the Yezidi community seriously and ensure their safety.

Salah Ahmad, president of the Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights, stated that isolated or extreme views should not be considered representative of any faith. “Our mission is to promote understanding, respect, and unity among all communities.”

We invite everyone to join us in rejecting hate and building a future rooted in peace and unity.