Holding ISIL Accountable: Prosecuting Crimes in Iraq and Syria

In the aftermath of the collapse of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s self-declared “caliphate,” the international community has grappled with the question of how to achieve accountability for crimes committed by the armed group. While prosecutions of captured ISIL fighters and other ISIL-affiliated individuals are occurring, they have to date overwhelmingly focused on terrorism-related offences without addressing core international crimes–including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes–that may have been perpetrated by these individuals. Many prosecutions fall short of true accountability for the full dimensions of ISIL crimes and the totality of harm done to victims and survivors. To support prosecutions that more fully reflect the atrocities committed by ISIL, additional work is needed to collect and analyse evidence relating to ISIL’s ideology, structure, decision-making, and capacities that underpinned the commission of atrocities. This book brings together eight experts who conducted original research on the inner workings of ISIL. The authors are recognized inter-disciplinary experts on ISIL —some of whom have served as expert witnesses in U.N.-led investigations and domestic criminal proceedings. These papers are intended to serve as a summary of their research and a starting point for prosecutors and other authorities conducting investigations and building cases around crimes committed by ISIL.