Al Mahdi case: Judgment to be delivered on 27 September 2016
On 24 August 2016, the trial concluded in the case The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi before Trial Chamber VIII at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The Chamber announced that the judgment and, if applicable, the sentence in that case will be rendered on 27 September 2016. The trial is held before Trial Chamber VIII, composed of Judge Raul C. Pangalangan, Presiding Judge, Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua, and Judge Bertram Schmitt.
On 22 August 2016, at the opening of the trial, Mr Al Mahdi admitted guilt as to the war crime consisting in the destruction of historical and religious monuments in Timbuktu (Mali), between around 30 June 2012 and 11 July 2012.
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. Subsequently, the Prosecution presented its evidence and called three witnesses. The Legal representative of the victims and the Defence presented their remarks before the Judges on 24 August 2016.
