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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 08:37:43
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Charles Taylor guilty of aiding Sierra Leone war crimes
26 April 2012
 International judges have found former Liberian leader Charles Taylor guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes during the Sierra Leone civil war, at his trial in The Hague.
Taylor has been on trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone for almost five years.
He was accused of backing rebels who killed tens of thousands during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war.
But he was cleared of ordering their crimes.
Human rights groups have described the judgement as historic.
"This is an incredibly significant decision," Elise Keppler from the campaign group Human Rights Watch told the BBC. "Today is a landmark moment."
Right group Amnesty International said the verdict sent an important message to all high-ranking state officials
.......A sentence hearing will be held on 16 May, with the sentence to be handed down on 30 May.......
Taylor is expected to serve his sentence in a British prison as the Dutch government only agreed to host the trial if any ensuing jail term was served in another country.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 14:12:36
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From Aljazeera English
War crimes court finds Charles Taylor guilty
 Decision on former Liberian leader is first ever judgement of a former African head of state by an international court.
A UN-backed international court has convicted former Liberian president Charles Taylor of war crimes - the first African head of state to be found guilty by an international tribunal.
Taylor, 64, was charged 11 counts of war crimes including murder, rape, conscripting child soldiers and sexual slavery during intertwined wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, in which more than 50,000 people were killed.
..Taylor is likely to appeal the verdict, but if the court sentences him in May as planned, he will serve his prison sentence in Britain.
The location and category of the prison will depend on the details of the verdict and sentencing.....
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 14:55:10
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"..Taylor is likely to appeal the verdict, but if the court sentences him in May as planned, he will serve his prison sentence in Britain."
Again,UK has to deal with undesirable people who were not born here,who is going to pay the considerable bill that will ensue for his doubtless long sentence,UK ? I hope not I am sure that this incarceration will be humane,but never the less this service to Africa has to be paid for by someone other than the hard pressed UK taxpayers, who appear to pay for almost everything,example the latest addition £10 Billion to the IMF. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 15:08:15
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| I wished that he spends the sentence in a Sierra Leonean or other African prison but that will not be possible due to the fact that he has a huge wealth somewhere that could be used to bribe his way out. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 15:21:00
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OR better still pay the UK government for his upkeep in a " UK Hotel" conditions there are much better than the "Gambian Hotel" |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 26 Apr 2012 15:21:57 |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 17:25:06
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| When Yahya Jammeh's trial comes up, he deserves it free and fair. Crime against humanity is serious matter. |
Karamba |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 21:05:18
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Sierra Leone crowds applaud Taylor conviction
 FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) - Thousands of people who survived Sierra Leone's brutal civil war a decade ago celebrated Thursday after learning that Charles Taylor had been convicted for his role in the conflict that left behind countless amputees and traumatized former child soldiers. Officials had set up special viewing sites for people to watch the verdict live as it was read from the Netherland...
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 22:51:02
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After that brutal seizure of power by guns it was the treacherous Sierra Leone war that Yahya Jammeh relayed on Gambia TV to induce fear. Now that Taylor is benched this far, what is Jammeh waiting ? Many will tell you that Charles and Yahya shared Blood Diamond ties.
Now that his brother is settled by the law, will Jammeh brave the dock ? |
Karamba |
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Kitabul Arerr
Gambia
645 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2012 : 20:43:52
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Kukoi had his 15 seconds of notoriety during the Summary of Findings on the Role of the Accused:
60. The Trial Chamber will now summarize its factual findings on the role of the
Accused.
The Role of the Accused before 1996.
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62. Evidence before the Trial Chamber establishes the following. At the end of the 1980s, a number of West African
revolutionaries were trained in Libya, including Charles Taylor from Liberia, Ali Kabbah and Foday Sankoh from
Sierra Leone and Kukoi Samba Sanyang (a.k.a. Dr. Manneh) from the Gambia. The Accused met Sankoh in Libya,.."
Summary of Findings on the Role of the Accused here:
http://www.sc-sl.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=86r0nQUtK08%3d&tabid=53
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The New Gambia - Stronger Together! |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2012 : 21:49:42
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FOROYAA NEWS EDITORIAL;
"Charles Taylor has been convicted of aiding and abetting the perpetration of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The precedence has therefore been set for a sitting Head of State to be indicted for crimes to which the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction. Our readers may be interested in knowing the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
The Court has jurisdiction in accordance with the Rome Statute with respect to the following crimes:
(a) The crime of genocide;
(b) Crimes against humanity;
(c) War crimes;
(d) The crime of aggression.
“ For the purpose of this Statute, "genocide" means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Article 7
Crimes against humanity
1. For the purpose of this Statute, "crime against humanity" means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:
(a) Murder;
(b) Extermination;
(c) Enslavement;
(d) Deportation or forcible transfer of population;
(e) Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law;
(f) Torture;
(g) Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity;
(h) Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court;
(i) Enforced disappearance of persons;
(j) The crime of apartheid;
(k) Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.
2. For the purpose of paragraph 1:
(a) "Attack directed against any civilian population" means a course of conduct involving the multiple commission of acts referred to in paragraph 1 against any civilian population, pursuant to or in furtherance of a State or organizational policy to commit such attack;
(b) "Extermination" includes the intentional infliction of conditions of life, inter alia the deprivation of access to food and medicine, calculated to bring about the destruction of part of a population;
(c) "Enslavement" means the exercise of any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership over a person and includes the exercise of such power in the course of trafficking in persons, in particular women and children;
(d) "Deportation or forcible transfer of population" means forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive acts from the area in which they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law;
(e) "Torture" means the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, upon a person in the custody or under the control of the accused; except that torture shall not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions;
(f) "Forced pregnancy" means the unlawful confinement of a woman forcibly made pregnant, with the intent of affecting the ethnic composition of any population or carrying out other grave violations of international law. This definition shall not in any way be interpreted as affecting national laws relating to pregnancy;
(g) "Persecution" means the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group or collectivity;
(h) "The crime of apartheid" means inhumane acts of a character similar to those referred to in paragraph 1, committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime;
(i) "Enforced disappearance of persons" means the arrest, detention or abduction of persons by, or with the authorization, support or acquiescence of, a State or a political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge that deprivation of freedom or to give information on the fate or whereabouts of those persons, with the intention of removing them from the protection of the law for a prolonged period of time.
3. For the purpose of this Statute, it is understood that the term "gender" refers to the two sexes, male and female, within the context of society. The term "gender" does not indicate any meaning different from the above.
Article 8
War crimes
1. The Court shall have jurisdiction in respect of war crimes in particular when committed as part of a plan or policy or as part of a large-scale commission of such crimes.
2. For the purpose of this Statute, "war crimes" means:
(a) Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, namely, any of the following acts against persons or property protected under the provisions of the relevant Geneva Convention:
(i) Willful killing;
(ii) Torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments;
(iii) Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health;
(iv) Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly;
(v) Compelling a prisoner of war or other protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile Power;
(vi) Willfully depriving a prisoner of war or other protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial;
(vii) Unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement;
(viii) Taking of hostages.
(b) Other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in international armed conflict, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
(i) Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities;
(ii) Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects, that is, objects which are not military objectives;
(iii) Intentionally directing attacks against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved in a humanitarian assistance or peacekeeping mission in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, as long as they are entitled to the protection given to civilians or civilian objects under the international law of armed conflict;
(iv) Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects or widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated;
(v) Attacking or bombarding, by whatever means, towns, villages, dwellings or buildings which are undefended and which are not military objectives;
(vi) Killing or wounding a combatant who, having laid down his arms or having no longer means of defence, has surrendered at discretion;
(vii) Making improper use of a flag of truce, of the flag or of the military insignia and uniform of the enemy or of the United Nations, as well as of the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions, resulting in death or serious personal injury;
(viii) The transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies, or the deportation or transfer of all or parts of the population of the occupied territory within or outside this territory;
(ix) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives;
(x) Subjecting persons who are in the power of an adverse party to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are neither justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the person concerned nor carried out in his or her interest, and which cause death to or seriously endanger the health of such person or persons;
(xi) Killing or wounding treacherously individuals belonging to the hostile nation or army;
(xii) Declaring that no quarter will be given;
(xiii) Destroying or seizing the enemy's property unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war;
(xiv) Declaring abolished, suspended or inadmissible in a court of law the rights and actions of the nationals of the hostile party;
(xv) Compelling the nationals of the hostile party to take part in the operations of war directed against their own country, even if they were in the belligerent's service before the commencement of the war;
(xvi) Pillaging a town or place, even when taken by assault;
(xvii) Employing poison or poisoned weapons;
(xviii) Employing asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and all analogous liquids, materials or devices;
(xix) Employing bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, such as bullets with a hard envelope which does not entirely cover the core or is pierced with incisions;
(xx) Employing weapons, projectiles and material and methods of warfare which are of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering or which are inherently indiscriminate in violation of the international law of armed conflict, provided that such weapons, projectiles and material and methods of warfare are the subject of a comprehensive prohibition and are included in an annex to this Statute, by an amendment in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth in articles 121 and 123;
(xxi) Committing outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
(xxii) Committing rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, as defined in article 7, paragraph 2 (f), enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence also constituting a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions;
(xxiii) Utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military operations;
(xxiv) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings, material, medical units and transport, and personnel using the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions in conformity with international law;
(xxv) Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully impeding relief supplies as provided for under the Geneva Conventions;
(xxvi) Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into the national armed forces or using them to participate actively in hostilities.
(c) In the case of an armed conflict not of an international character, serious violations of article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, namely, any of the following acts committed against persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention or any other cause:
(i) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
(ii) Committing outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
(iii) Taking of hostages;
(iv) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all judicial guarantees which are generally recognized as indispensable.
(d) Paragraph 2 (c) applies to armed conflicts not of an international character and thus does not apply to situations of internal disturbances and tensions, such as riots, isolated and sporadic acts of violence or other acts of a similar nature.
(e) Other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts not of an international character, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts:
(i) Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities;
(ii) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings, material, medical units and transport, and personnel using the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions in conformity with international law;
(iii) Intentionally directing attacks against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved in a humanitarian assistance or peacekeeping mission in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, as long as they are entitled to the protection given to civilians or civilian objects under the international law of armed conflict;
(iv) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives;
(v) Pillaging a town or place, even when taken by assault;
(vi) Committing rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, as defined in article 7, paragraph 2 (f), enforced sterilization, and any other form of sexual violence also constituting a serious violation of article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions;
(vii) Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into armed forces or groups or using them to participate actively in hostilities;
(viii) Ordering the displacement of the civilian population for reasons related to the conflict, unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons so demand;
(ix) Killing or wounding treacherously a combatant adversary;
(x) Declaring that no quarter will be given;
(xi) Subjecting persons who are in the power of another party to the conflict to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are neither justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the person concerned nor carried out in his or her interest, and which cause death to or seriously endanger the health of such person or persons;
(xii) Destroying or seizing the property of an adversary unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of the conflict;
(f) Paragraph 2 (e) applies to armed conflicts not of an international character and thus does not apply to situations of internal disturbances and tensions, such as riots, isolated and sporadic acts of violence or other acts of a similar nature. It applies to armed conflicts that take place in the territory of a State when there is protracted armed conflict between governmental authorities and organized armed groups or between such groups.
3. Nothing in paragraph 2 (c) and (e) shall affect the responsibility of a Government to maintain or re-establish law and order in the State or to defend the unity and territorial integrity of the State, by all legitimate means.”
Hence all those who are leaders in government or the opposition should bear in mind that if the provisions mentioned above whose perpetration could land one before the ICC, Impunity has no future." |
Edited by - kobo on 27 Apr 2012 21:59:30 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2012 : 22:37:26
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| I would like to know why British Tax payers should foot the bill for Charles Taylor. He should be sent to Serria Leone where he should have true Justice. |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2012 : 23:21:44
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This link my help you Sister O;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2135590/To-deter-use-child-soldiers-Charles-Taylor-imprisoned-Britain.html
Snippet:
"It is far better if one of the African countries where child soldiering has occurred in the past, or continues to do so such as the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda have him to stop and deter this horrific use of child soldiers, as well as the idea that civil war means a license to abhorrent inhumane behaviour."
quote:
Originally posted by toubab1020
"..Taylor is likely to appeal the verdict, but if the court sentences him in May as planned, he will serve his prison sentence in Britain."
Again,UK has to deal with undesirable people who were not born here,who is going to pay the considerable bill that will ensue for his doubtless long sentence,UK ? I hope not I am sure that this incarceration will be humane,but never the less this service to Africa has to be paid for by someone other than the hard pressed UK taxpayers, who appear to pay for almost everything,example the latest addition £10 Billion to the IMF.
quote:
Originally posted by Sister Omega
I would like to know why British Tax payers should foot the bill for Charles Taylor. He should be sent to Serria Leone where he should have true Justice.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2012 : 20:42:39
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Sierra Leone trial: 80 years urged for Charles Taylor
3 May 2012
Prosecutors in the trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor have said he should be handed an 80-year sentence following his war crimes conviction in The Hague last week.
Read Full Story |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2012 : 13:45:41
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Charles Taylor says prosecution 'bought witnesses'
16 May 2012
Liberian ex-president Charles Taylor has accused the prosecution of paying witnesses to testify against him in his war crimes trial.
Taylor, who was found guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes last month, was addressing judges at The Hague.
It was his last chance to speak at the international court before he is sentenced later this month.
Read Full Story |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2012 : 12:25:20
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Judges sentence Charles Taylor to 50 years
LEIDSCHENDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Judges at an international war crimes court have sentenced former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison following his landmark conviction for supporting rebels in Sierra Leone who murdered and mutilated thousands during their country's brutal civil war in return for blood diamonds. The Special Court for Sierra Leone found Taylor guilty last month ...
Read Full Story
From BBC
Liberia ex-President Charles Taylor get 50 years in prison
30 May 2012
Liberia's ex-President Charles Taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in jail by a UN-backed war crimes court.
Last month Taylor was found guilty of aiding and abetting rebels in Sierra Leone during the 1991-2002 civil war.
Special Court for Sierra Leone judges said the sentence reflected his status as head of state at the time of the crimes and betrayal of public trust.
Taylor, 64, insists he is innocent and is likely to appeal against the sentence, correspondents say.
The appeal process could last up to six months, the BBC's Anna Holligan in The Hague reports.
Read Full Story |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2012 : 14:46:28
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Victims of brutal war rejoice at Taylor sentencing
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) - Amputees who are still struggling to lead normal lives years after they were mutilated by the rebels backed by ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor, hailed the decision by judges at The Hague on Wednesday to sentence him to 50 years in prison. In a landmark ruling by the Special Court on Sierra Leone last month, the 64-year-old Taylor became the first former head of s...
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Charles Taylor guilty of aiding war crimes
