UN files complaint against Turkey to Human Rights Council

The United Nations has registered an official complaint against Turkey to the Human Rights Council for its airstrikes on civilian hospitals in Iraq.

This case, which took two years to prepare, is the first complaint filed regarding Turkish airstrikes against the Izadi people. This attack occurred on August 17, 2021, and destroyed the Siknia health clinic in Sinjar, killing eight people and injuring more than 20 people.

The four claimants of the case, who are survivors and witnesses of the airstrikes, say that according to international law and based on Article VI of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, their right to life has been violated and that Turkey has failed to prevent the killing of civilians caused by airstrikes and to provide effective solutions for victims to take effective action.

It is claimed that, since 2017, around 80 Izadis have fallen victim to the “collateral damage” of Turkish airstrikes against PKK targets in Iraq.

For a long time, Turkey has enjoyed the immunity and silence of the international community under the pretext of targeting terrorists to attack non-Turkish nationals outside its territory.

The Human Rights Committee is the only institution that can force Turkey to respond and provide meaningful compensation to the victims.