Special Court for Sierra Leone
| Special Court for Sierra Leone | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Established | 16 January 2002 |
| Country | Sierra Leone |
| Location |
Freetown, Sierra Leone (Charles Taylor trial moved to The Hague, Netherlands) |
| Composition method | Appointment by government of Sierra Leone or Secretary-General of the United Nations |
| Authorized by |
Statute Other international instruments |
| Number of positions | 8–11 (later expanded) |
| Website | http://www.sc-sl.org/ [closed] http://www.rscsl.org/ |
| President | |
| Currently | Rotational and various |
The Special Court for Sierra Leone, or the "Special Court" (SCSL), also called the Sierra Leone Tribunal, is a judicial body set up by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to "prosecute persons who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law" committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 and during the Sierra Leone Civil War. The court's working language is English. The court lists offices in Freetown, The Hague, and New York City.
On 26 April 2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first African head of state to be convicted for his part in war crimes.
On 12 June 2000, Sierra Leone's President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah wrote a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan asking the international community to try those responsible for crimes during the conflict. On 10 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 the government of Sierra Leone signed an agreement establishing the court. A contract was awarded to Sierra Construction Systems, the largest construction company in Sierra Leone, to construct the building that would house the court. The first staff members arrived in Freetown in July 2002.
On 10 March 2004 the new courthouse building of the Special Court for Sierra Leone was officially opened, before an audience of national and international dignitaries.
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Wikipedia