The International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted a militant leader with ties to al-Qaida of severe crimes in Mali on Wednesday, specifically for mistreating prisoners while serving as the de facto head of the Islamic police in Timbuktu.
Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud remained composed as the court found him guilty of acts of torture and inhumane treatment between 2012 and 2013.
The judges announced their decision on numerous other charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the reign of terror inflicted by insurgents on Timbuktu. These charges included rape, torture, persecution, forced marriages, and sexual slavery.
Al Hassan could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, to be determined at a later sentencing hearing.
According to prosecutors, he played a significant role within Ansar Dine, an extremist group linked to al-Qaida that controlled northern Mali during that period.
During Al Hassan’s trial, which began nearly four years ago, former chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda highlighted the severe impact of Ansar Dine’s oppressive rule on women and girls, who endured physical punishment and imprisonment.
A French-led military operation in 2013 ousted Al Hassan and his associates from power.
Mali, along with its neighbouring countries Burkina Faso and Niger, has faced a prolonged insurgency by armed groups, some of which are aligned with al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
Following military coups in all three nations in recent years, the ruling juntas expelled French troops and sought security assistance from Russian mercenary units instead.
Colonel Assimi Goita, who assumed leadership in Mali after a second coup in 2021, pledged to restore democracy to the country by early 2024.
However, in September, the junta indefinitely postponed the February 2024 elections, citing the need for additional technical preparations.
Delays in delivering a verdict in Al Hassan’s case were attributed to a judge’s illness, prolonging the legal proceedings by approximately six months.
