Special Court for Sierra Leone

Taylor Accuses Britain of Violating UN Arms Embargo

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

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. Mr. Taylor also denied widespread press and investigative reports that the terrorist group, Al Qaeda, traded diamonds with Sierra Leonean rebels under his...

Liberia: Taylor Denies Ordering Execution of Rebel Commander

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/05/2009

Charles Taylor did not order the execution of Sierra Leonean rebel commander Sam Bockarie, but rather sent his former vice president Moses Blah to arrest him on the Liberian border with Ivory Coast, the accused former Liberian president told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges in The Hague today.

Taylor Admits Aiding Rebels

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009

Former Liberia President Charles Taylor who is being tried by the UN-back court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for crimes he allegedly committed in the neighbouring country, has confessed to sending fighters to help rebels inflict mayhem on civilians during the 11-year war in the country.

Talyor Accuses Prosecution for 'Misleading' Special Court

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009

Charles Taylor today accused the prosecution of "misleading the court" by introducing evidence that as Liberian president, Mr. Taylor acted to resolve conflicts between Sierra Leone's rebel commanders, appoint a chief rebel leader in his warring neighboring country, and then independently offer safe haven in Liberia to a top rebel on the run. Mr. Taylor is on trial by the Special Court for...

Sierra Leone justice elected as new president of war crimes court

JURIST (Free subscription) | 11/03/2009

[JURIST] Justice Jon Kamanda was elected on Monday to a one-year term as the president of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). Kamanda had served as a SCSL vice-president since 2007. Prior to his involvement with the SCSL, Kamanda enjoyed an extensive legal career, including time in the Sierra Leone government as the Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Minister of Health. Kamanda succeeds...

Sierra Leone: Sierra Leonean Judge Elected Head of UN-Backed War Crimes Tribunal

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009

A Sierra Leonean judge has taken over as the new President of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), the United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal set up to deal with the worst acts committed during the long and brutal civil war in the West African nation.

Liberia: Taylor Denies Having 'Master-Servant' Relationship With Bockarie

All Africa (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009

Charles Taylor did not have a "master-servant" relationship with Sierra Leone's notorious rebel commander Sam Bockarie ("Mosquito"), the former Liberian president told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges in The Hague today.

Sierra Leone war crimes court transfers last prisoners to Rwanda to serve sentences

JURIST (Free subscription) | 11/01/2009

[JURIST] Eight men judged guilty of war crimes by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) were transferred to Rwanda Saturday to serve out prison sentences. Because Sierra Leone has no adequate prison facilities, an agreement with Rwanda was reached to allow them to complete their sentences at Mpanga prison. Three of the men, leaders of the Revolutionary United Front, had had their appeals rejected...

Liberia: Taylor Denies Planning Operations With Sierra Leonean Rebels

All Africa (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009

Charles Taylor did not plan any operations with Sierra Leonean rebels during the country's 11-year civil conflict, he told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges today at his trial in The Hague.

Sierra Leone war crimes court upholds sentences of former guerilla leaders

JURIST (Free subscription) | 10/27/2009

[JURIST] The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) on Monday upheld the convictions of three former rebel leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), in what is to be the final proceedings of the Freetown-based court. The SCSL upheld the convictions of former RUF Interim Leader Issa Hassan Sesay and Senior RUF Commander Morris Kallon on each of 16 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity...

UN-backed court hands down final rulings in Sierra Leone

Global Security (Free subscription) | 10/27/2009

The United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) has upheld the convictions and sentences passed on three former rebels in the last judgment by the tribunal to be handed down in the West African nation.

• UN tribunal sentences former Sierra Leone rebel leaders - turenchi

Taylor Denies Knowing of Sierra Leone Attack Plans

All Africa (Free subscription) | 09/29/2009

Charles Taylor did not have any prior knowledge of rebel plans to invade Sierra Leone in 1991, and contrary to prosecution allegations against him, he did not order Sierra Leonean rebel forces to attack Guinea in 2000, he told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges last week.

Taylor Denies Giving Money to Rebel Leader or Safekeeping Diamonds

All Africa (Free subscription) | 09/25/2009

Charles Taylor did not give jailed Sierra Leonean rebel leader Foday Sankoh $20,000 in 1999, either as a "good gesture" or as a payment in exchange for safekeeping diamonds for his rebel group, Mr. Taylor told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges today.

Liberia: Taylor Denies Knowing of Plans for Invasion of Sierra Leone

All Africa (Free subscription) | 09/24/2009

Charles Taylor did not have any knowledge of plans by rebel forces to invade Sierra Leone in 1991, he told told Special Court for Sierra Leone judges in The Hague today. In rebuffing prosecution charges that he was a key planner in the major rebel attack on his neighboring country during its 11-year conflict, Mr. Taylor dismissed the allegations as "lies."

Sierra Leone: Special Court Convicts Protest

All Africa (Free subscription) | 09/22/2009

Convicted CDF, RUF and AFRC former warlords have written a letter dated September 11, 2009, signed by all of them and addressed to the registrar of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, protesting their proposed transfer to a Rwandan prison.