Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 (age 48–49) Agoune, Mali |
| Nationality | Malian |
| Occupation | Civil servant |
| Employer | Malian government |
| Known for | First person convicted by the ICC for such a crime |
| Movement | Ansar Dine |
| Criminal status | Released |
| Criminal charge | Attacking religious and historical buildings |
| Penalty | Nine years in prison (commuted to 7 years in 2021) |
| Wanted since | 18 September 2015 |
| Details | |
Span of crimes | 30 June 2012 – 10 July 2012 |
| Country | Mali |
| Location(s) | Timbuktu |
| Target(s) | 10 religious buildings |
Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi (also known as Abu Tourab) was a member of Ansar Dine, a Tuareg Islamist militia in North Africa. Al-Mahdi admitted guilt in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2016 for the war crime of attacking religious and historical buildings in the Malian city of Timbuktu. Al-Mahdi was the first person convicted by the ICC for such a crime, and in general the first individual to ever be prosecuted solely on the basis of cultural crimes.[1] He was sentenced to nine years in prison. On 25 November 2021, his sentence was commuted to 7 years in prison, and he was released on 18 September 2022.[2]