Resources
Thursday, May 26, 2022
  • Login
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result

Browse by Topic:

  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result
Home Rulings

Former Islamist leader pleads guilty to war crime charges

Journalists for JusticebyJournalists for Justice
August 22, 2016
in Rulings
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Al Mahdi case: accused makes an admission of guilt at trial opening, 22 August 2016

 Former Malian Islamist and leader of a group alleged to have links to Al  Qaeda, Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, admitted guilt during his trial over the war crime consisting the destruction of historical and religious monuments in Timbuktu.

The trial opened on Monday, 22, before Trial Chamber VIII at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands.

This is the first international trial focusing on the destruction of historical and religious monuments, and the first ICC case where the defendant made an admission of guilt.

The trial, the first concerning the situation in Mali before the ICC, started with the reading of an extract of the confirmed charge against the accused and the Presiding judge asked the accused to confirm that he understood the charge. Al Mahdi, which means the guided one, admitted guilt as to the charge.

RelatedStories

Dominic Ongwen found guilty of 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity

ICC Appeals Chamber adjourns to consider submissions on the acquittal of Gbagbo and Blé Goudé

ICC prosecution asks Appeals Chamber to overturn the acquittal of Gbagbo and Blé Goudé

Accordingly, the judges questioned the accused in order to confirm that: (a) the accused understood the nature and consequences of the admission and (b) the admission was made voluntarily after sufficient consultation with his Defence counsel. After that, the Office of the Prosecutor started the presentation of its case which is expected to last for two to three days.

Once the Prosecution concludes its presentation, the legal representative of the victims as well as the Defence will present their remarks. In addition, the judges have agreed that the Defence may request the introduction at a later stage of two Defence witnesses’ statements in writing relating to the possible sentence. The judges will thereafter deliberate and in due course pronounce a decision on the guilt or innocence of the accused and the possible sentence.

Al Mahdi led al-Hesbah, which acted for the Islamic court of Timbuktu, while he was a member of Ansar Dine, a Tuareg rebel group allied with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

The former teacher in his 40s is accused of directing attacks on nine mausoleums and the Sidi Yahia mosque in Timbuktu, a trade hub that became Islam’s “intellectual and spiritual capital” in Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Nine victims will take the stand.

Previous Post

Refugees give harrowing tales of abuse in Libya

Next Post

New Katanga trial shows DRC’S potential to try complex international crimes

Journalists for Justice

Journalists for Justice

Related Posts

Dominic Ongwen found guilty of 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity

Dominic Ongwen found guilty of 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity

February 4, 2021
Geert-Jan Knoops and his client, former Ivory Coast Cabinet Minister Charles Blé Goudé, before the start of an appeals hearing at the ICC on Monday, June 22, 2020.

ICC Appeals Chamber adjourns to consider submissions on the acquittal of Gbagbo and Blé Goudé

June 26, 2020
Appeals hearing in the Gbagbo and Blé Goudé case

ICC prosecution asks Appeals Chamber to overturn the acquittal of Gbagbo and Blé Goudé

June 24, 2020
Eritrea: Canadian Supreme Court affirms Eritreans’ slavery and forced labour claims can proceed

Eritrea: Canadian Supreme Court affirms Eritreans’ slavery and forced labour claims can proceed

March 2, 2020
Judge: ICC Appeals Chamber was not mindful of victims’ human rights

Judge: ICC Appeals Chamber was not mindful of victims’ human rights

January 8, 2020

Jordan failed in its obligation to arrest Al-Bashir, ICC rules

May 7, 2019
Next Post

New Katanga trial shows DRC'S potential to try complex international crimes

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Said Abdel Kani to remain in custody as Appeals Chamber rejects his plea for release
  • Are we ready? CSOs audit Kenya’s election preparedness
  • Parties prepare to wind up Gicheru case
  • Hope at last for Kenyan victims, but is TFV’s planned support enough?
  • Gicheru asks ICC judge to admit new evidence

Recent Comments

  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Kenyan lawyer denies bribery charges at the ICC
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on You did me wrong, Bemba tells ICC as he demands 70 million euros
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Two victims’ lawyers in Kenyatta case in line to become next ICC prosecutor
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Profiles of the four people shortlisted for the job of ICC Prosecutor
  • Write My Essay on Afghanistan case fails to take off at the ICC — pragmatism’ or surrender to the powerful?

Archives

Categories

JFJ – Journalists for Justice

We call out impunity wherever it occurs; we advocate justice for all victims of atrocity crimes; and we work with people of goodwill everywhere who share our values.

Browse by Topics:

Archives by Month:

Never Again
INTAHE
BarometreVerite
The Victims' Bantaba
No Result
View All Result
  • Confronting Impunity
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Login

Copyright © 2019. Journalists for Justice has asserted its right to be recognized as creators and owners of the content here. Reproduction in part or in whole is permitted on condition that JFJ is acknowledged and notified.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz