The Indictment Of Charles Taylor
THE SPECIAL COURT FOR SIERRA LEONE
CASE NO. SCSL – 03 – I
THE PROSECUTOR
Against
CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR also known as
CHARLES GHANKAY MACARTHUR DAPKPANA TAYLOR
INDICTMENT
The Prosecutor, Special Court for Sierra Leone, under Article 15 of the Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (the Statute) charges:
CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR also known as
(aka) CHARLES GHANKAY MACARTHUR DAPKPANA TAYLOR
with CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, VIOLATIONS OF ARTICLE 3 COMMON TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS AND OF ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL II and OTHER SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW, in violation of Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Statute as set forth below: read more
|
The Charges
28. Paragraphs 16 through 27 are incorporated by reference.
29. At all times relevant to this Indictment, members of the RUF, AFRC, Junta and/or AFRC/RUF forces (AFRC/RUF), supported and encouraged by, acting in concert with and/or subordinate to CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR, conducted armed attacks throughout the territory of the Republic of Sierra Leone, including, but not limited, to Bo, Kono, Kenema, Bombali and Kailahun Districts and Freetown.
Targets of the armed attacks included civilians and humanitarian assistance personnel and peacekeepers assigned to the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), which had been created by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1270 (1999).
30. These attacks were carried out primarily to terrorize the civilian population, but also were used to punish the population for failing to provide sufficient support to the AFRC/RUF, or for allegedly providing support to the Kabbah government or to pro-government forces. The attacks included unlawful killings, physical and sexual violence against civilian men, women and children, abductions and looting and destruction of civilian property. Many civilians saw these crimes committed; others returned to their homes or places of refuge to find the results of these crimes - dead bodies, mutilated victims and looted and burnt property.
31. As part of the campaign of terror and punishment the AFRC/RUF routinely captured and abducted members of the civilian population. Captured women and girls were raped; many of them were abducted and used as sex slaves and as forced labour. Some of these women and girls were held captive for years. Men and boys who were abducted were also used as forced labour; some of them were also held captive for years. Many abducted boys and girls were given combat training and used in active fighting. AFRC/RUF also physically mutilated men, women and children, including amputating their hands or feet and carving "AFRC" and "RUF" on their
COUNTS: COUNTS 1 - 2: TERRORIZING THE CIVILIAN POPULATION AND COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENTS
32. Members of the AFRC/RUF supported and encouraged by, acting in concert with and/or subordinate to CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR committed the crimes set forth below in paragraphs 33 through 58 and charged in Counts 3 through 13, as part of a campaign to terrorize the civilian population of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and did terrorize that population.
The AFRC/RUF also committed the crimes to punish the civilian population for allegedly supporting the elected government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and factions aligned with that government, or for failing to provide sufficient support to the AFRC/RUF. By his acts or omissions in relation, but not limited to these events, CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR, pursuant to Article 6.1. and, or alternatively, Article 6.3. of the Statute, is individually criminally responsible for the crimes alleged below:
Count
Count 1: Acts of Terrorism, a VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 3 COMMON TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS AND OF ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL II, punishable under Article 3.d. of the Statute; And:
Count 2: Collective Punishments, a VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 3 COMMON TO THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS AND OF ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL II, punishable under Article 3.b. of the Statute. read more |
