Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman was transferred to the ICC's custody on 9 June 2020, after surrendering himself voluntarily in the Central African Republic. The initial appearance of Mr Abd-Al-Rahman before the ICC took place on 15 June 2020. According to the Prosecution's submission of the Document Containing the Charges, Mr Abd-Al-Rahman is suspected of 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed between August 2003 and at least April 2004 in Darfur, Sudan. The confirmation of charges hearing took place from 24 to 26 May 2021. 

On 9 July 2021, Pre-Trial Chamber II confirmed all the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity brought by the Prosecutor against Ali Muhammad Abd-Al-Rahman and committed him to trial.

On 5 April 2022, the trial in this case opened before Trial Chamber I and is currently ongoing. 56 witnesses appeared in the courtroom during the presentation of the Prosecution’s case and the Prosecution has finished presenting its evidence. On 19 April 2023, during a public hearing, the Trial Chamber rejected the Defence’s request in the Abd-Al-Rahman case to acquit the accused from 4 out of the 31 counts against him. The common legal representatives of the victims made their opening statements and called their witnesses on 5 to 7 June 2023. 

Next steps: Victims are scheduled to present their views and concerns in the Courtroom on 16 and 17 October 2023. The Defence is scheduled to make opening statements and start presenting its case on 18 October 2023. 

Questions and Answers on the opening of the trial: English, Arabic

The warrant of arrest for Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud was issued on 27 March 2018. He was surrendered to the ICC on 31 March 2018. He is in the Court's custody. The confirmation of charges hearing took place from 8 to 17 July 2019. On 30 September 2019, Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a confidential decision confirming the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity brought by the Prosecutor against Mr Al Hassan and committed him to trial. The redacted version of the decision was published on 13 November 2019. On 23 April 2020, Pre-Trial Chamber I partially granted the Prosecutor's request to modify the charges against Mr Al Hassan; the redacted version of this decision was published on 11 May 2020. The trial opened on 14-15 July 2020, including with the opening statement of the Prosecutor. 

The trial resumed on 8 September 2020, when the Prosecution started to present its evidence and call its witnesses before the judges. 52 oral witnesses were called by the Prosecution at this stage. 

On 8 February 2022, the Legal Representatives of Victims made their opening statements before the judges. From 8 to 10 February 2022, the Legal Representatives called two witnesses to testify.

On 9 May 2022, the Defence of Mr Al Hassan made its opening statement before Trial Chamber X. The first Defence witness started testifying on 10 May 2022. 22 Defense witnesses appeared in court, the last having completed testimony on 3 November 2022. On 6 February 2023, the Defence notified the judges of the closure of its presentation of evidence. On 8 February 2023, Trial Chamber X declared the closure of the submission of evidence in this case and participants were requested to file their final briefs.

The closing statements of the Office of the Prosecutor, the Legal Representatives of Victims, and the Defence are scheduled took place from 23 to 25 May 2023. 

Next steps: The judges have started their deliberations on the proceedings and the judgment will be pronounced in due course. 

​Found guilty, sentenced to 9 years. Reparations Order for victims pronounced by judges and is final.

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Accused makes an admission of guilt at trial opening

On 22 August 2016, the trial in the case The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi opened before Trial Chamber VIII at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands. 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.

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Case also involved Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus but proceedings against him were terminated on 4 October 2013 following his passing.

On 7 March 2011, Pre-Trial Chamber I unanimously decided to confirm the charges of war crimes brought by the ICC's Prosecutor against Abdallah Banda and committed him to trial. Though Mr Banda appeared voluntarily before the ICC during the Pre-Trial stage of his case, on 11 September 2014, the Trial Chamber judges issued an arrest warrant to ensure his presence at trial. The Chamber stressed that should Mr Banda nonetheless appear voluntarily before the Court, the Chamber will take the voluntary appearance into consideration and revisit accordingly the conditions of his stay in The Netherlands during the trial. The accused is still at large.

Next steps: The trial will commence pending the accused's arrest or voluntary appearance. The ICC does not try individuals in their absence.

The warrant of arrest for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur (Sudan) was issued in this case on 27 April 2007. Ahmad Harun is still at large.

Next steps: Until Ahmad Harun is arrested and transferred to the seat of the Court in The Hague, his case will remain in the Pre-Trial stage. The ICC does not try individuals unless they are present in the courtroom.

Charges withdrawn

The warrant of arrest against Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka was issued under seal on 10 December 2018 for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Central African Republic. Mr Mokom was surrendered to the ICC on 14 March 2022. 

On 22 March 2022, Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka made his first appearance before Pre-Trial Chamber II.

The confirmation of charges hearing commenced on 22 August 2023, but had not yet been concluded as the parties still had to submit written submissions on the merits of the case.

On 17 October 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II terminated the proceedings in the Mokom case and ordered Mr Mokom’s immediate release. Mr. Mokom was released from the ICC detention on the same day. The Chamber acted on the basis of the Prosecution’s notice of withdrawal of the charges against Mr Mokom, dated 16 October 2023. This notice asserts that there are relevant changes regarding the evidence in the case. Therefore, the Prosecution considers that, even if the charges would be confirmed by Pre-Trial Chamber II, there is no reasonable prospect for a conviction at trial.

Next steps: Pre-Trial Chamber II instructed the ICC Registrar to make all necessary arrangements for Mr Mokom’s transfer to a receiving State. Pending his transfer Mr Mokom is in a temporary ICC designated location.

On 8 July 2019, ICC Trial Chamber VI found Bosco Ntaganda guilty, beyond reasonable doubt, of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed in Ituri, DRC, in 2002-2003. On 7 November 2019, Bosco Ntaganda was sentenced to a total of 30 years of imprisonment. The time he spent in ICC detention - from 22 March 2013 to 7 November 2019 - will be deducted from this sentence.

On 30 March 2021, the ICC Appeals Chamber confirmed the conviction and the sentence in this case. These two decisions are now final.

Next steps: On 8 March 2021, Trial Chamber VI delivered its Order on Reparations to victims against Mr Ntaganda.The Defence of Mr Ntaganda and the Legal Representative of one of the two groups of victims appealed the order. On 12 September 2022, the Appeals Chamber issued its judgment in the appeals and remanded several issues for the Trial Chamber to issue a new reparations order. On 14 July 2023, Trial Chamber II delivered an Addendum to the Reparations Order of 8 March 2021. Following this Addendum, the Chamber will rule on all aspects of the Draft Implementation Plan that do not require further submissions from the ICC Trust Fund for Victims or the parties.

On 14 December 2022, Mr Ntaganda was transferred to the Kingdom of Belgium to serve his sentence of imprisonment at the Leuze-en-Hainaut prison.

The arrest warrant for Alfred Yekatom was issued on 11 November 2018 and unsealed on 17 November 2018. He was surrendered to the ICC on 17 November 2018 and appeared for the first time before Pre-Trial Chamber II on 23 November 2018. The arrest warrant for Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona was issued on 7 December 2018. He was arrested by the authorities of the French Republic on 12 December 2018 and transferred to the ICC detention centre on 23 January 2019, upon completion of necessary national proceedings. His initial appearance before Pre-Trial Chamber II took place on 25 January 2019. On 20 February 2019, Pre-Trial Chamber II joined the Yekatom and Ngaïssona cases.

The confirmation of charges hearing was held on 19-25 September and 11 October 2019. On 11 December 2019, Pre-Trial Chamber II partially confirmed the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity brought by the Prosecutor against Mr Yekatom and Mr Ngaïssona and committed them to trial. The public redacted version of the decision on the confirmation of charges was published on 20 December 2019.

On 11 March 2020, Pre-Trial Chamber II rejected the Prosecution's Request for Reconsideration of, or alternatively Leave to Appeal, the "Decision on the confirmation of charges against Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona", thereby concluding the proceedings in the case before that Chamber, and ordering the Registrar to transmit the Decision Confirming the Charges and the record of the proceedings to the ICC Presidency. This was done on 13 March 2020. On 16 March 2020, the Presidency constituted Trial Chamber V to be in charge of this case and is composed of Judge Bertram Schmitt, Judge Péter Kovács and Judge Chang-ho Chung.

The trial opened on 16 February 2021 before Trial Chamber V. The prosecution called 75 witnesses to testify. The Legal Representatives of Victims also called three witnesses to testify.

On 28 November 2023, the Defence for Mr  Yekatom made its opening statement. The Defence for Mr Ngaïssona had already presented its opening statement at the beginning of trial.

Mr Yekatom and Mr Ngaïssona are in the Court's custody.  

Next steps: On 11 December 2023, the first witness is scheduled to be called by the Defence.