On Wednesday, November 20, the International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud to 10 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The crimes were committed in Timbuktu between April 2012 and January 2013.
After Al Hassan Ag Abdul was sentenced, ICC Presiding Judge Kimberly Prost ordered that the time already spent in detention in The Hague be deducted from the total sentence.
Al Hassan, a former head of the Islamic Police of Timbuktu, which is affiliated with the armed groups Ansar Dine and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), was arrested in 2018 and transferred to the ICC on March 31 of that year. The trial opened on July 14 and 15, 2020, with the presentation of evidence by the prosecution, followed by testimony from victims and witnesses.
On June 26, 2024, Trial Chamber X found Al Hassan guilty of several counts, including torture, persecution and other inhumane acts. However, he was acquitted of charges related to sexual crimes such as rape and sexual slavery.
At the hearing on November 20, 2024, the presiding judge asked Al Hassan to stand up to hear his sentence.
After announcing the sentence of ten years in prison, she stated that the time already served would be deducted from the total sentence. The parties, both defense and prosecution, have 30 days to appeal the decision.
Al Hassan’s conviction is seen as a significant step forward in the fight against impunity for crimes committed in Mali. Representatives of the victims expressed satisfaction at the recognition of the suffering they have endured, although some regretted the acquittals for sexual crimes.
MD/sf/te/lb/as/APA