On 17 December 2024, the Defence and the Prosecution discontinued their appeals against the guilty verdict in the case The Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The parties will not appeal the sentence. The verdict and the sentence in this case are now final and the case will proceed to the reparations stage.
Next steps: On 10 December 2024, Trial Chamber X issued an Order for Submissions on Reparations, giving instructions and deadlines to the Prosecution, the Legal representatives of victims, the Defence, the Registry, the Trust Fund for Victims and the Republic of Mali for various submissions on reparations to victims. The Chamber will then render its decision on reparations in the case in due course.
Mr Al Hassan will remain in the ICC detention centre until the ICC designates a country to serve his sentence.
Today, the Appeals Chamber, by majority, Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze and Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin dissenting, invited the legal representatives of the participating victims to file any observations on the notices of discontinuance of appeals by 30 December 2024.
Background: On 26 June 2024, Trial Chamber X, by majority, convicted Mr Al Hassan of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between 2 April 2012 and 29 January 2013 in Timbuktu, northern Mali, controlled at that time by the armed groups Ansar Dine and Al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb. On 20 November 2024, Trial Chamber X sentenced Mr Al Hassan to 10 years of imprisonment. The time spent in detention, from 28 March 2018 to 20 November 2024, will be deducted from his sentence.
On 4 December 2024, the ICC Presidency decided that Judge Tomoko Akane will be replaced by Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera in Trial Chamber X, taking into account both the availability and seniority of judges, noting also her experience in reparations proceedings at the Court.
For further information on this case, check here.
