The courageous story of two girls escaping from ISIL 'gang rape' ordeal

Isabelle Kumar, Euronews
“Targeted by so-called Islamic State for being Yazidi. Sexually abused, raped, gang raped, loved ones murdered…. two young women managed to escape their brutal captors. Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar, now tell their stories around the world in the hope of saving their Yazidi community which ISIL has vowed to destroy. The bravery of Nadia and Lamia has been recognised the world over, they are here with me at the European parliament in Strasbourg to receive the prestigious Sakharov Prize.

“Nadia and Lamiya you have been through so much, how are you fairing?”

Sakharov Prize winner Nadia Murad:
“As one of more than 6,500 Yazidi women and children who has been held captive by ISIL, I am very happy to have been honoured with this prize.

“The goal of ISIL was to silence our voices. The goal of ISIL was to take our honour. ISIL sees us as if we are nothing, just women to be raped, trafficked or sold. Their goal was to erase the existence of Yazidis.”

Biography: Nadia Murad

Nadia Murad was born and raised in the village of Kocho, Iraq
She was enslaved by ISIL when her village was attacked in August 2014
Nadia lost 18 family members
She is now a UN Goodwill Ambassador and Sakharov Prize laureate


Nadia has found safe haven in Germany




Isabelle Kumar, Euronews
And Lamia how does it feel for you to be receiving this prize?

Sakharov Prize winner Lamiya Aji Bashar:
As a Yazidi girl and as one of those who was raped by ISIL, I am very happy with this prize. It is a great honour for me to receive this prize in the name of those who were kidnapped and defeated by ISIL, the thousands of the women who are raped by ISIL, and I am one of them.

Biography: Lamiya Aji Bashar

Lamiya was 16 when she was snatched by ISIL from Kocho, Iraq
She was held for 20 months by ISIL
Trying to escape she stepped on a landmine


Like Nadia, Lamiya has foudn safe haven in Germany




Isabelle Kumar, Euronews
“And you are here telling your story again and again, a very harrowing story, what do you really want the world to do?”

Nadia Murad:
“We want from the world to stop this, to punish those trying to exterminate us, to punish these criminals in the International Criminal Court. Our goal is to protect women and children, to protect the minorities, to protect the little communities such as the Yazidi community, but also Christians in Iraq and Syria.”

#SakharovPrize laureate NadiaMuradBasee has dedicated herself to getting the massacre of Iraq’s Yazidis recognised as genocide. More ↓↓ pic.twitter.com/aKkypQUG5M— European Parliament (Europarl_EN) December 10, 2016





Isabelle Kumar, Euronews
“If we are t to understand more fully the work, the very brave work, you are doing today, I think it is very important to understand your stories, what happened to you when you were in captivity, I know it must be very difficult, Lamiya could you tell us a little bit about your time because you were held for