The first sentence delivered by the International Criminal Court for destruction of cultural heritage in Timbuktu: the Al Mahdi case

Abstract

This paper analyses the first international conviction for destruction of cultural heritage delivered by the International Criminal Court. After a brief study of the situation in Mali, the development of the procedure is examined, from the beginning, the referral of the situation by the Malian Ministry of Justice, till the reparations phase. The relevance of this case is absolutely exceptional, not alone by the particular war crime subject to the judgment, but also by the innovative Reparations Order, regarding the categorization of the multiple types of victims.