Charles taylor liberia special court for sierra
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I.The Trial of Charles Taylor at the Special Court
I.The rättegång of Charles Taylor at the Special Court
1. Who is Charles Taylor?
2. Why are the Taylor trial and the upcoming judgment significant?
3. What are the charges against Taylor?
4. How did the Special Court for Sierra Leone come about?
5. What is the mandate of the Special Court?
6. How did the trial of Charles Taylor komma about?
7. Why was the rättegång held in The Hague?
8. Why isn’t Taylor facing charges for crimes in Liberia?
II. Upcoming Judgment in the Taylor Case and Next Steps
9. When will the judgment be issued and what is the process for appeal?
10. If Taylor is found guilty, what would his sentence be and where would that sentence be served?
III. Important Features of the Taylor Trial
11. What outreach efforts were made to ensure relevance to Sierra Leoneans and Liberians?
12. What kind of evidence has been offered in the case?
IV. The Special Court for Sierra Leone
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Background
Charles Ghankay Taylor, at the time of his indictment in 2003, was President of Liberia.
On 7 March 2003, the Court approved a 17-count indictment, which was ordered kept under seal. The Prosecutor unsealed the indictment on 4 June 2003 while Taylor was attending a peace conference in Ghana.
On 11 August 2003, under international pressure and with LURD and MODEL rebels advancing on Monrovia, Taylor stepped down as President of Liberia and went into exile in Calabar, Nigeria. On 4 December 2003 Interpol circulated a “Red Notice” based on a Special Court arrest warrant.
Through counsel, Taylor challenged the Court’s jurisdiction on the grounds of sovereign immunity and extra-territoriality. On 31 May 2004 the Appeals Chamber dismissed the motion and ruled that he was subject to the jurisdiction of the Special Court.
On 16 March 2006 the Court approved an amended indictment, reducing the number of counts from 17 to 11.
Arrest and Transfer to the Speci
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Charles Taylor guilty of aiding Sierra Leone war crimes
He also said the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Taylor was part of a joint criminal enterprise.
The BBC's Mark Doyle in the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown, says traditional chiefs and victims of the war watching the proceedings by video link breathed a sigh of relief when the verdict was read out.
Victim Jusu Jarkar said: "This is a happy day. I have not been able to do many things because my arms were cut off, but today I am happy."
In the Liberian capital, Monrovia, newspaper publisher Tom Kamara hailed the verdict, saying "justice has been done" and it was "an end to impunity".
However, young supporters of Charles Taylor took to the streets brandishing placards reading: "We love you Taylor, God willing you will come back."
A sentence hearing will be held on 16 May, with the sentence to be handed down on 30 May, he added.
Taylor has a right