Faiq Zidan: UNITAD work results must be exclusively presented to Iraqi Judiciary

Shafaq News / Iraq's Chief Justice, Judge Faiq Zidan, emphasized on Sunday the necessity of presenting the findings of the international investigation team for crimes committed by ISIS, known as "UNITAD", exclusively to the Iraqi judiciary.

During his meeting with UNITAD’s head, Christian Ritscher, Zidan discussed the team's findings throughout 2023.

Zidan clarified that "the results of the team's work and the evidence conclusively settled during the team's tenure must be submitted to the Iraqi judiciary and its affiliated investigative bodies exclusively, considering it the competent authority for conducting investigations and trials in crimes related to the findings and evidence obtained by the international investigation team."

Furrthermore, the United Nations Security Council renewed the mandate of the "UNITAD" investigation team for accountability for crimes committed by ISIS in Iraq for one final year on September 16, 2023.

Notably, the mandate of UNITAD has been extended for one final year until September 17, 2024, and is not subject to further extension.

The resolution, drafted by the United Kingdom, stated that the extension request came from the Iraqi government, which asked the team to provide the evidence it collected for holding ISIS members accountable.

Additionally, the investigation team was established in 2017 under Security Council Resolution 2379 and at the request of the Iraqi government.