The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced Al-Hassan Ag-Abdoul Aziz Ag-Mohamed Ag-Mahmoud, a prominent member of Mali’s Ansar-Dine group, to 10 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The ruling, delivered in The Hague on June 24, found Al-Hassan guilty of participating in acts of torture, cruel treatment, and public floggings during the rule of Ansar-Dine and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Timbuktu between April 2012 and January 2013.
Presiding Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua highlighted Al-Hassan’s role in the so-called “Islamic police,” which enforced the repressive system implemented by radical groups.
Al-Hassan’s involvement included contributing to crimes committed by other members of Ansar-Dine and Al-Qaeda in the region.
In determining the sentence, Trial Chamber X of the ICC considered mitigating circumstances, including Al-Hassan’s minor efforts to assist civilians during the period and his cooperation with investigators.
Al-Hassan, 46, was apprehended under an arrest warrant issued on March 27, 2018, and surrendered to the ICC four days later. The charges against him were confirmed by the court on September 30, 2019.
The ICC’s statement noted that if the conviction is finalized, the court will assign a country from its list of member states to enforce the sentence. This decision marks a significant step in addressing accountability for atrocities committed during the Mali conflict.
