The chief prosecutor of the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) noted on Monday the progress made so far on the trail of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.
Speaking to reporters at the UN Headquarters, Stephen Rapp said that many commentators have referred to the court, which is trying Taylor for war crimes and crimes against humanity, as a model for international justice.
"It shows that the trial of a former chief of State can be conducted openly and fairly and we're very proud to date of the progress that's been made," Rapp said.
Taylor is facing 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law - including mass murder, mutilations, rape, sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers - for his role in the decade-long civil war that engulfed Sierra Leone, which borders Liberia. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
Rapp said the prosecution's case is that Taylor aided and abetted two rebel groups, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council and the Revolutionary United Front, which committed numerous atrocities during the civil war.
He noted 59 insiders, people who were at one time very close to the former Liberian president, are providing evidence as witnesses to support his case.
Taylor "was behind the planning of this campaign of terror and atrocity, that he did various steps to order and instigate those crimes and, at a bare minimum at least, he aided and abetted these crimes by providing crucial arms and materiel in return for diamonds, at a time when all the world knew that these rebels were committing horrendous offenses against human beings," he said.
Currently the SCSL is hearing its 35th prosecution witness, Rapp said, adding that he expected that the trial would wrap up within a year after the defense has also made its case.
In 2006, the Security Council authorized the staging of Taylor's trial at The Hague, Netherlands, citing reasons of security.
Source:Xinhua
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