The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sentenced Al-Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, the former head of the Islamic police in Timbuktu, Mali, to 10 years in prison for war crimes committed during the 2012 attacks to the historic city.
Al-Hassan, 47, was accused of orchestrating a “reign of terror” after the armed group Ansar Dine seized control of Timbuktu. He was found guilty of torture, overseeing public amputations, and organizing severe floggings, including those involving children. However, he was acquitted of charges related to rape, sexual slavery, and the destruction of ancient mausoleums, with the court ruling he was not directly responsible for these acts despite acknowledging the occurrence of sexual violence under Ansar Dine’s rule.
Presiding judge Kimberly Prost stated the sentence was “proportionate to the gravity of the crimes,” emphasizing the severe impact on victims. Al-Hassan, who denies the charges, has filed an appeal, as have the prosecutors.
Rights groups expressed disappointment over his acquittal on gender-based crimes, highlighting testimony from women who reported being raped while in detention.
The ICC noted “mitigating circumstances” in determining the sentence, including Al-Hassan’s limited efforts to assist civilians during 2012–2013 and his cooperation during the investigation. His six years of detention since being handed over by Malian authorities in 2018 will be deducted from the sentence.
Reparations for victims will be decided later.
Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage site and renowned center of Islamic learning from the 13th to 17th centuries, suffered extensive damage during the 2012 attacks. Another Ansar Dine member, Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi, was sentenced to nine years in 2016 for destroying the city’s ancient shrines.