On Wednesday 4 September 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will rule on the sentence to be imposed on Al Hassan, who has been found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, at a public hearing.
Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, a former member of Ansar Dine, was found guilty by the ICC on 26 June 2024 of crimes committed between April 2012 and January 2013 in Timbuktu. These
crimes included torture, persecution, the destruction of religious and cultural monuments and the establishment of a regime of terror over the civilian population. The charges of rape, although raised, were dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence.
This hearing is important in determining the length of the sentence that Al Hassan will have to serve. The judges will take into account the seriousness of the crimes committed, the testimony of the victims and the arguments of the defence, in order to establish a sentence that is proportionate to the suffering inflicted. This decision will
be decisive for the rest of the legal proceedings and for Al Hassan’s future.
Depending on the judges’ assessment, Al Hassan could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, or even life imprisonment. The ICC could also impose significant financial reparations for the victims. The possibility of an appeal remains open, which could lengthen the judicial process.
This trial and the decision of 4 September are major events in the fight against impunity in Mali. They mark the international community’s commitment to prosecuting the perpetrators of serious crimes and to ensuring that justice is done, even in the most difficult cicrumstances. For many Malians, this decision is also an important step towards national reconciliation and the restoration of the rule of law.
The September 4 hearing will be public and broadcast live.
MD/Sf/ac/fss/as/APA