Alleged extremist tortured in Mali, lawyer tells Hague court

A defense lawyer for an alleged jihadist leader from Mali has accused International Criminal Court prosecutors of ignoring claims that her client was tortured in custody and called into question a judge’s impartiality.

The court opened a preliminary hearing on Monday to consider whether evidence is strong enough to put Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud on trial for alleged crimes in Timbuktu while the city was under the control of extremists.

Al Hassan is accused of torture, rape and persecution from alleged acts between April 2012 and January 2013.

Defense lawyer Melinda Taylor argued Monday that the prosecution evidence relies heavily on statements Al Hassan made while he was held at an undisclosed location that she says was notorious for human rights abuses.