Resources on War Crimes Trial of Liberian President Charles Taylor

The UN Special Court for Sierra Leone is trying to transfer the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor to The Hague for security reasons. But the UN Security Council said this week that they are still looking for a country willing to take in Taylor after a verdict is reached before they can agree to the shift in venue.

Taylor has been indicted on numerous counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the extremely vicious Sierra Leone civil war and for fomenting other West African conflicts in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed.

More on the trial:

• Current Awareness - Charles Taylor (JURIST, University of Pittsburgh School of Law legal news site): includes archived news stories, links to the texts of the legal indictments, legal analysis and information on procedures at the Special Court for Sierra Leone
• Liberia - Human Security Gateway (University of British Columbia): searchable database of links to key websites, full text reports, journal articles, news items and fact sheets relating to human security worldwide (protection of civilians from war and violence). The section on Liberia includes coverage of the indictment of former president Charles Taylor for war crimes
• Liberia (Human Rights Watch): the section provides access to press releases, papers and reports about human rights in Liberia, including the use of child soldiers during the civil war, human rights abuses, and the prosecution of former Liberian President Charles Taylor for war crimes. Also check out the Sierra Leone section
• Special Court for Sierra Leone: "The Special Court for Sierra Leone was set up jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations. It is mandated to try those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996"