Yazidi women who were sexually assaulted hundreds of times while kept as ISIS slaves are awarded human rights prize

'They raped me until I fainted': Yazidi women who were sexually assaulted hundreds of times while kept as ISIS slaves are awarded human rights prize


Lamiya Aji Bashar, 18, and Nadia Murad, 23, were captured in northern Iraq
They endured horrific abuse by jihadists before they managed to escape
The pair were today presented the Sakharov Prize for human rights
Lamiya said the award was 'for every woman and girl who has been sexually enslaved' by ISIS

Two women who were captured and traded between ISIS fantatics as sex slaves, enduring horrific sexual abuse, have been awarded a top human rights prize.

Lamiya Aji Bashar, 18, and Nadia Murad, 23, said they would continue to be a voice for for those suffering a similar fate when they accepted the Sakharov Prize for human rights.

They were captured by jihadists when the Iraqi area of Sinjar fell to the extremists in August 2014.



Nadia Murad (left) and Lamiya Haji Bashar (right) said they would continue to be a voice for for those suffering a similar fate when they accepted the Sakharov Prize for human rights

Lamiya said the EU's top human rights prize was one 'for every woman and girl who has been sexually enslaved' by ISIS.

They are two of thousands of Yazidi women and girls who have been abused by the terror group, and they told EU politicians that more must be done to protect their people, a minority of 500,000 living primarily in northern Iraq. The Yazidi follow an ancient religion that IS and other Muslim hard-liners consider heretical.



Lamiya (pictured speaking at the ceremony) said the EU's top human rights prize was one 'for every woman and girl who has been sexually enslaved' by ISIS

Nadia escaped after three months, while Lamiya tried to flee four times before finally escaping in March.
She was scarred by a landmine as fighters pursued her, and is now unable to see out of one eye.
Her two companions, eight-year-old Almas and 20-year-old Katherine, were killed in the blast. She never learned their last names.

Speaking to AP after her escape, Lamiya said: 'I managed in the end, thanks to God, I managed to get away from those infidels. Even if I had lost both eyes, it would have been worth it, because I have survived them.'

Last year Nadia told the United Nations Security Council that Yazidi women and children are traded as 'war booty'.



Nadia and Lamia, pictured with Lamiya's brother Vad, were awarded the 2016 Sakharov human rights prize at the European parliament in Strasbourg

She was snatched and repeatedly raped by 'countless' men several times a day.

She said: 'Rape was used to destroy women and girls and to guarantee that these women could never lead a normal life again. Islamic State has made Yazidi women into flesh to be trafficked in.'

Accepting the prize, whose previous winners include Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi, Nadia said: 'They wanted to take our honor but they lost their honor.'

Both are now demanding that those responsible face an international court for war crimes.

The award, named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, was created in 1988 to honour individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms.