Von militärischer Notwendigkeit zu individueller Verantwortlichkeit – Der Fall „Al Mahdi“ als Zäsur in der strafrechtlichen Ahndung von Kulturgutzerstörung auf internationaler Ebene

Abstract

From military necessity to individual responsibility – the “Al Mahdi” case as a caesura in the criminal punishment of the destruction of cultural property on an international level

In April 2012, the Islamist group Ansar Dine launched an attack on the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Timbuktu, Mali. Besides illustrating the political and religious backgrounds that led to this action, the purpose of this paper is to highlight the historical development of the international legal framework for the protection of cultural heritage, including the trial against Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, who was in charge of the Timbuktu attacks. As will be shown, the case has the potential to set a precedent.