Archinect - News 2024-12-24T12:06:59-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150025711/international-criminal-court-issues-ruling-in-first-case-of-cultural-destruction-as-war-crimes International Criminal Court issues ruling in first case of cultural destruction as war crimes Alexander Walter 2017-08-31T15:08:00-04:00 >2017-08-31T15:08:31-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ht/htkhf1z6v6d6ufjb.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled on 17 August, that an Islamic extremist caused &euro;2.7m in damages when he destroyed shrines in Timbuktu, Mali, in 2012. This is the first time that the ICC has made a ruling solely on cultural destruction, setting an important precedent. [...] Islamic extremists used pickaxes and bulldozers to destroy nine mausoleums and the centuries-old door of the Sidi Yahya mosque, built during a golden age of Islam [...].</p></em><br /><br /><p>By ruling that "the destruction of the protected buildings has caused the suffering of people throughout Mali and the international community," the International Criminal Court in The Hague acknowledged the demolition of <a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/149964570/international-criminal-court-hears-first-case-of-cultural-destruction-as-war-crimes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cultural heritage as a war crime</a> &mdash;&nbsp;potentially treating recent acts of violence against historic sites in <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/597602/palmyra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Palmyra</a> and <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/480381/mosul" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mosul</a> as such as well.&nbsp;</p> https://archinect.com/news/article/149964570/international-criminal-court-hears-first-case-of-cultural-destruction-as-war-crimes International Criminal Court hears first case of cultural destruction as war crimes Alexander Walter 2016-08-22T15:38:00-04:00 >2022-03-16T09:16:08-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/fx/fxmpt8ooniowxgpg.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>In the first case of its kind, the Islamic extremist Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi has today (22 August), pleaded guilty to war crimes for destroying historic monuments in the ancient city of Timbuktu in northern Mali. Al-Mahdi is accused of ordering the razing of nine mausoleums and the 15th-century Sidi Yahia mosque. It is the first time the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has heard a case about the demolition of cultural heritage.</p></em><br /><br /><p>Learn more about Timbuktu's outstanding value as a world heritage site on <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/119/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">UNESCO's website</a>.</p><p>Related stories in the Archinect news:</p><ul><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/149936860/palmyra-after-isis-a-first-look-at-the-level-of-destruction" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Palmyra after ISIS: a first look at the level of destruction</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/146194308/destruction-of-iraq-s-oldest-christian-monastery-by-isis-militants-went-unreported-for-16-months" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Destruction of Iraq&rsquo;s oldest Christian monastery by ISIS militants went unreported for 16 months</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/143512405/fear-grows-over-isis-threat-against-unesco-world-heritage-site-in-libya" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fear grows over ISIS threat against Unesco World Heritage site in Libya</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/134645642/isis-beheads-leading-archaeologist-in-palmyra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ISIS beheads leading archaeologist in Palmyra</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/121736292/isis-continues-destruction-of-ancient-artefacts-burns-mosul-library-smashes-antique-statues" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ISIS continues destruction of ancient artefacts, burns Mosul library, smashes antique statues</a></li></ul>