UN News Service (New York)

Liberia: Date Set for Former President Charles Taylor's Defence At UN-Backed Trial

18 June 2009


The United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone today announced that lawyers for the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, will begin their defence against charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity on 13 July.

Mr. Taylor's lawyers will make their opening arguments on that day in The Hague, where the Court is based, and the preparatory hearing is slated for 6 July. In 2006, the Security Council authorized the trial to be held in the Netherlands, instead of its usual venue in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, citing security reasons.

The Prosecution rested its case against Mr. Taylor in February after presenting 91 witnesses to provide testimony.

The former President has pleaded not guilty to the 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include pillage, slavery for forced marriage purposes, collective punishment, and the recruitment and use of child soldiers.

The charges relate to his alleged support for two rebel groups in neighbouring Sierra Leone, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council and the Revolutionary United Front, during that country's civil war from 1996 to 2002.

The Special Court for Sierra Leone was established in January 2002 through an agreement between Sierra Leone's Government and the UN. It cannot impose a life sentence, but it has already sentenced two defendants in another case to 50 years in jail. Britain has said it would be willing to imprison Mr. Taylor if he is found guilty.

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Author: feddetha
Sat Jun 20 11:44:05 2009

Why is this process taking too long to begin? Taylor destroyed the lives of millions of children both in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The children of liberia and Sierra leone await justice to be served in this prolonging case. Taylor murdered so many women and children in both wars. He damaged our lives and future. Today, most of us are missing our leg,arm breast,ears,even both legs or arms. Wondering what help can we give ourselves or our country. Too much stree to deal with. Our societies have out cast us and we feel hopeless in life. There is not much hope giving to us.I am speaking on behalf of every child and woman the suffered abused in both wars. We are very much tired with this process. Let justice be served. we the children of liberia and sierra leone need a quick and speedy process. We look forward to this process moving ahead.May God bless the children of lieria and sierra leone. Tavacano California

Author: varneyjohnson146
Sun Jun 21 17:16:00 2009

To the writer, ask yourself one question since Charles Taylor imprisonment, why have the british digging the Sierra Leone Diamond day and nite, and ask yourself why was the Rebels in Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone, and the British back and supported South African Mensonary (Executive Icom) this force is made of former British SAS, and they never went to Freetown to laborate the capital but rush to Kono laborated Kono and started masive minning diamond, and ask yourself one last question why did the British took so long to help the Sierra Leonean. Just as the American took long to help Liberia out of the bloodbath.

WAKE UP MEN OF AFRICA, THE REAL ENEMIES OF AFRICA IS NOT CHARLES TAYLOR, AFRICA'S ENEMY OF PROGRESS IS AMERICA AND THE BRITISH. AFTER ALL CHARLES TAYLOR WAS A PRISONAL IN THE US JAIL, HOW DID HE APPEAR IN LIBERIA???????? THE AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER HELD THAT A FORIGNER EVER BROKE A US JAIL AND APPEAR IN ANOTHER COUNTRY WITHOUT BEEN ARRESTED. LASTLY I'M STILL THINKING AND TRYING TO FIND THE ARM MANUFATURING COMPANY IN LIBERIA, OH NOW I REMEMBER, TAKE THE ARMS FROM THE FORMER SOVIET BLOCK AND SEND IT TO THE WAR AFFECTED COUNTRY, NO WONDER AK 47S APPEAR IN LIBERIA AND SIERRA LEONE. MEDIA PROPAGANDA, THAT WRITER KNOWS THAT HE WAS AMPUTATED BY HIS VERY SIERRA LEONEAN, MEDIA PROPAGANDA ONE DAY WE ALL WILL WAKE UP AND BBC AND CNN WILL TAKE THE WHO WORLD T HELL. GOD PLEASE HELP US. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS MR WRITER,

Author: feddetha
Tue Jun 23 11:43:45 2009

I AM COMPLETELY SHOCK TO SEE PEOPLE COMING TO DEFEND THIS MASS MURDERER, CHARLES TAYLOR. THIS GUY SPOILED THE FUTURE OF MILLIONS OF CHILDREN AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE COMING TO HIS DEFENDS.I PERSONALLY THINK THAT YOU GUYS WERE THOSE GROUP OF IDIOTS WHO WERE CHANTING THE SONG"YOU KILLED MY PAP,YOU KILLED MY MOM I WILL VOTE FOR YOU" WHAT CONDITION THE COUNTRY IS IN TODAY? AFTER HE STOLE FROM THE LIBERIAN'S GOVERNMENT,WHAT ELSE HE GIVE TO THE COUNTRY? NOTHING. HE CAME BACK AND STOLE THE LAST RESOURCES WE WERE DEPENDING ON TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD.WHERE IN THE WORLD CAN RATIONAL PERSON DEFEND THIS THIEF. DAMAGED THE FUTURE OF MILLIONS OF CHILDREN. OUR MOTHERS,SISTERS, NIECES, COUSINS,FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WERE ALL RAPED BY THIS GUY,TAYLOR. HOW CAN YOU PLEAD FOR THIS GUY? EVEN IF, YOUR FAMILY MEMBER NEVER SUFFER IN THE HANDS OF TAYLOR, THERE IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW THAT LOST SOMEONE. THIS GUY KILLED MY SISTER ALONG WITH HER FOUR CHILDREN. SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WAS MARRIED TO A MILTARY MAN. I WANT JUSTICE TO BE SERVED. IF THE COURT FIND HIM NOT GUILTY,WHO I AM TO FIND HIM GUILTY? BUT AS CONCERN CITIZEN I HAVE THE RIGHT TO VEND MY POINT OF VIEW. IF YOU WENT THROUGH THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT I WENT THROUGH, YOU WILL BE ADVOCATING FOR JUSTICE.IN MY PREVIOUS COMMENT, I SAID I AM THE VOICE OF MILLIONS PEOPLE BOTH IN LIBERIA AND SIERRA LEONE. ONEDAY JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED I AM PRETTY CONFIDENCE.MAY GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE OF LIBERIA AND SIERRA LEONE TAVACANO,CALIFORNIA

Author: Aki
Tue Jun 23 21:40:31 2009

Fedetha,

How can you say Charles Taylor killed your sister and her four children. It was a war inwhich several factions were fighting each other. You live in California so you don't know what is happening here in Liberia. Let me tell you if Taylor ran for President today he would win.

Author: feddetha
Wed Jun 24 09:58:29 2009

Aki,prior to the death of my sister and her four kids, there was only one faction in liberia(National Patriotic Front of Liberia). This sad incident happened at the beginning of the war. My sister and children were not the only people suffered such a brutal death, others did. I am not trying to convince you or the rest of the people who responded to my comments. My family wants justice so we can move on with our lives. This particular case is dear to my heart because of how much my sister met to me and my entire family. Today, her death devastated our family and continue to create emotions in our hearts. The brightness of her love are left in the smile of her two wonderful children. Not because i am living in california so i should let go of my sister's memories. She was always there for us and the rest of her community. Someone else problem was her problem. She always wanted people around her to be happy. Whenever you felt sad she was always there to comfort you.She was bright in grade school and college. Thats brightness was something she required of us at the time she was with us. If you know the emotional stress i am going through each and everyday, you whom be saying things that make upset. I still have people in liberia. I am the only member of my family living in america. I hope oneday that this case will gets behind us and my family and the rest of the other families will move on also. may God bless the Republic of Liberia and its leadership. Tavacano,California.

Author: Aki
Wed Jun 24 20:45:29 2009

Fedetha, I apoligize if you felt I was not sorry for the death of your sister and family.We all lost loved ones.However when Taylor started the revolution everyone was happy to see the back of Samuel Doe. Remember all the people that Doe killed. The war did get out of hand but to punish one man for all the wars in West Africa is unfair. Remember he is on trial for what happened in Sierra Leone not Liberia and if you followed the trial you know very well the evidence has been weak.

Author: teahjuah12
Thu Jun 25 02:26:25 2009

Wow' ladies and gentlement it is very important that we all come together and allow justice to take its course against C. G. Taylor. At this time, we should have the greatest concern in helping to rebuild our coutry Liberia and exploring every avenue for the well being of our country. Listen fellow Liberian, although we are not going to forget the past, we should remember that Liberia will remain our country. Politicians, warlords, Leaders; corrupt or just will come and go but Liberia will stand forever.

Author: feddetha
Thu Jun 25 11:29:57 2009

Thank you very much for your feelings toward my concerns, I do appreciate that. I just wanted people to hear my story. It is about time for us all to come together in the rebulding process. The rebulding process should not only be limited to buildings,streets,high ways,but also our minds. My family have already promised to have a memory service, hopefully next year. I love my country so much that, i tell friends i do not want to be american citizen. I definitely want to see liberia progressing. And oneday, things will be alright. We all need to make that commitment to our dear country. May God bless the Republic of Liberia Tavacano,California

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