Briefing:

The Trial of Charles Taylor

                                                                                     "The morality of Charles Taylor is none of my business. "That's between him and his God, whichever God he chooses to worship. My job is to present his case in court. I'm certainly not going to be making moral judgements about any of my clients .." (Courtenay Griffiths QC )


&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

On Thursday, April 26, the Special Court for Sierra Leone will release its judgment in the case against Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president, following a trial in The Hague lasting three-and-a-half years.

Taylor is facing 11 charges arising from war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, allegedly committed from November 30, 1996 to January 18, 2002 during the course of Sierra Leone’s civil war.
This briefing paper summarizes the main legal issues and events in the case, including testimony from key witnesses. The text includes hyperlinks to relevant portions of the Open Society Justice Initiative’s trial monitoring website, www.charlestaylortrial.org, which has provided detailed, often daily reporting on proceedings in the court at The Hague, as well a forum for debate.
Once the verdict comes out, the Justice Initiative will also be working with local human rights organizations in Sierra Leone and Liberia to bring independent reporting and analysis of the judgment from The Hague to the those most affected by what happened.

For more details on the impact of the court in Sierra Leone, please see our recent report
Legacy: Completing the Work of the The Special Court for Sierra Leone. "

Date:

November 1, 2011

Source:

Open Society Justice Initiative

The Special Court for Sierra Leone will be the first post-Cold War international tribunal to conclude its mandate. Yet enormous work remains to be done before the court closes, and the legacy of the Special Court may be undermined if pressing issues are not addressed. This report highlights seven key areas that require urgent national and international attention to safeguard the court’s legacy and secure justice for the people of Sierra Leone. ...."

CLICK AND READ ABOUT CASE

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11059821