Publisher's Synopsis
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to 'try those who bear greatest responsibility' for serious violations , war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War which began in 1991 and was declared officially over on 18 January 2002. The Special Court was born at the request of the President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who on 12 June 2000 wrote a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan asking the international community to try those responsible for crimes during the conflict. The answer was prompt and on 14 August 2000 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1315 requesting the Secretary-General to start negotiations with the Sierra Leonean government to create a Special Court. On 16 January 2002 the UN and Government of Sierra Leone signed an agreement establishing the Court. The Court is located in Freetown. Currently , eleven people have been indicted by the Special Court, charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law. Indictments against two of the accused were dropped after their deaths.The trials are placed into 3 groups: Revolutionary United Front, Civil Defence Forces and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council; only one trial, the one of Charles Taylor, was moved to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Our series' goal is to present the reasons that led to the establishment of The Special Court, and to offer an overview of the cases brought before The Court. We also want to add background materials such as basic documents on the tribunal and documents on the conflict.
