Update on Charles Taylor Trial

By Ted Townsend
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor recessed June 25^th for a three day break, so that the Defense may do further research and preparation for cross-examination of prosecution witnesses. The prosecution also requested additional time to interview the next prosecution witness. This past Sunday, in the midst of the break, Liberian police and American investigators searched Taylor’s residence. Nothing has yet been announced as to the findings, but Taylor’s residents question the legality of the search.

Before the recess, the court last heard testimony of prosecution witness TF1-590, a Sierra Leonean living in exile in Europe. The witness testified as to Taylor’s support of Revolutionary United Front (“RUF”) rebels and his connections to Arabs with regards to diamond mining.  He also testified as to Taylor’s son Chuckie’s support and commission of human rights abuses. The witness also told the court he had met with a team of United States Federal prosecutors. This led to defense counsel Courtney Griffiths postulating that the Federal Prosecutors office was working with the United States in a co-operative effort to prosecute Taylor.

Outside of The Hague, many of the one and one half million Liberians who fled the country during the civil war testified in a public hearing, run by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (“TRC”). The goal of the TRC is to look into the root causes of the Liberian Civil War, and make it possible to hold perpetrators accountable for human rights violations.

Furthermore, former United States under secretary for African Affairs, Herbert J. Cohen announced that America wanted Taylor in power, rather than evacuated former president Samuel K. Doe.

Taylor faces eleven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, all of which he denies. His trial is being held in a courtroom rented from the International Criminal Court in the Hague for fear the case could trigger violence in Sierra Leone.

For more information, please see:

allAfrica.com (citing The Analyst (Monrovia)) – Liberia: Taylor’s Arab Connection Revealed – 23 June 2008

Africa News – Taylor family protest house search – 27 June 2008

VOA News – Liberia’s Truth Commission Holds First Public Hearings in US – 16 June 2008

The Trial of Charles Taylor - last accessed 30 June 2008

Liberian Observer – US wanted Taylor in power, not Doe – 16 June 2008