Special Court for Sierra Leone

The not so Special Court for Sierra Leone

New Internationalism (Free subscription) | 11/23/2009

The trial of Charles Taylor has left an unhappy judicial legacy, argues *Sulakshana Gupta*.

Liberia: Former Liberian president Charles Taylor says foreign journalists were trying to assassinate him

i On Global Trends (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor says he jailed foreign journalists because they were trying to assassinate him, not because they were investigating his alleged involvement with diamond smuggling in Sierra Leone. Mr. Taylor is facing an 11-count indictment of crimes against humanity before a U.N. special court in The Hague.While president of Liberia, Charles Taylor says a foreign

Liberia: Prosecution Says Taylor Was 'Not Honest' With UN Panel

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009

Charles Taylor was "not honest" with the United Nations Panel of Experts set up to investigate his alleged dealings with Sierra Leonean rebels, prosecutors told the Special Court for Sierra Leone today during cross-examination of the accused former Liberian president.

Taylor Denies Supporting Plans to Attack Sierra Leone

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/20/2009

Charles Taylor did not support plans to attack Sierra Leone while he was in Libya, the accused former Liberian president told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges today while being cross-examined by the prosecution.

Sierra Leone war crimes court hands over control of detention facility

JURIST (Free subscription) | 11/16/2009

[JURIST] The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) on Monday handed over its detention facility to the Sierra Leone Prison Service in a monumental step towards the court's resolution. The Sierra Leone Prison Service will use the facility, which meets international standards, to house female prisoners. Director of Prisons Moses Showers emphasized the importance of providing for the welfare of female...

Judges Give Taylor's Prosecutors Time to 'Rearrange Strategies'

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/13/2009

Charles Taylor's testimony was cut short for the second day in a row, as prosecutors asked for more time to "rearrange strategies" for the cross-examination of the former Liberian president on trial for his alleged role in crimes committed during Sierra Leone's brutal conflict.

No Reason to Lie -Prosecution Tells Witness Taylor

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/12/2009

Prosecutors told Charles Taylor that he had "reason to lie" during his four months of testimony which he had spent rebutting charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in crimes during Sierra Leone's brutal conflict -- and that he needed to prepare to be "honest" in cross-examination, which started today in The Hague.

Liberia: Taylor's Prosecutors Try to Introduce 'Fresh Evidence'

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/12/2009

As Charles Taylor faced his second day of cross-examination, his defense counsel objected to prosecution attempts to introduce "fresh evidence" after its case was closed, calling it a trial by "ambush." Meanwhile, Mr. Taylor tried to distance himself from the types of acts committed during Sierra Leone's brutal conflict – such as fighters forcing a mother to laugh while they...

Prosecutors to Grill Taylor On War Crimes

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/11/2009

Prosecutors at the UN-backed Sierra Leone court will start cross-examining Charles Taylor today, challenging the former Liberian president on his denials of weapons trading in exchange for "blood diamonds".

Liberia: Taylor Cross-Examination Begins

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/11/2009

Prosecutors told Charles Taylor that he had "reason to lie" during his four months of testimony which he had spent rebutting charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in crimes during Sierra Leone's brutal conflict — and that he needed to prepare to be "honest" in cross-examination, which started today in The Hague.

THE HAGUE: Prosecutors question former Liberian leader Taylor at war crimes trial

France24 (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009

Prosecutors began cross-examining former Liberian leader Charles Taylor on Tuesday over war crimes charges related to conflicts in his country and in Sierra Leone. Taylor is the first African ruler to stand trial for war crimes.

• Prosecutors start grilling Taylor at U.N. trial - Reuters
• Taylor nears end of testifying in his own defense - Boston Globe
• See the 6 articles on the same subject

Liberia: Taylor accuses Britain of transporting arms to Sierra Leone

Global Voices Online (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009

Alpha blogs about the trial of the former President of Sierra Leone: “Charles Taylor today accused Britain of transporting arms to Sierra Leone in violation of a United Nations arms embargo on the country, and of using him as a scapegoat by falsely accusing him of responsibility for the flow of arms into the country.”

Former Liberia president's US indictment claims

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009

Charles Taylor says US indicted him for war crimes because they planned to gain control of oil reserves Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, claimed today that he was indicted for war crimes as part of a US "regime change" plan to gain control of west African oil reserves. In a typically defiant performance, Taylor also testified that he was duped by Nigeria into being arrested...

Liberia: Taylor Says He Left the Country for the Sake of Peace

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009

Charles Taylor decided to leave the Liberian presidency for asylum in Nigeria because he wanted peace in his West African homeland, he today told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges in The Hague.

Taylor nears end of the line

IOL (Free subscription) | 11/09/2009

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has rejected allegations that he commanded and controlled rebels who murdered and mutilated thousands of civilians during the civil war in Sierra Leone.