New twist in the trial of Charles Taylor. His lawyer left, Tuesday, February 8, the trial of former Liberian President before the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), just before the argument, calling the procedure "masquerade". Charles Taylor is the first former African leader tried for war crimes.
He was charged with murder, rape, mutilation, sexual slavery and conscription of child soldiers during the war in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, but the former Liberian president denies these charges. His lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths, slammed the door after the refusal of the judges the night before to save the written argument submitted by the defense because it was submitted after the deadline, set for 14 January.
"Our presence in this court is inconsistent with representing the interests of the accused, the lawyer said. It's a total farce as the judges will not have the basic information contained in the written version of our argument. " The president of the court, Teresa Doherty, Courtenay Griffiths warned that he risked being prosecuted for contempt, an offense punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
After more than three years of often chilling testimony, this departure theatrical debut recalls the turbulent trial in June 2007, when Charles Taylor had initially refused to come to court. Prosecutors were to begin Tuesday, Feb. 8 to submit their requisitions. This dramatic step of Defense should not thereby slowing the work of the court.
The judges allowed prosecutors to present evidence they believe that the former Liberian president ran a campaign of terror against civilians in Sierra Leone carried out by rebels of Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Prosecutors said the campaign was to allow Charles Taylor to monopolize the diamond wealth of Sierra Leone.
After the departure of his lawyer, former Liberian President stayed in his box, the guards announced that it judges that required his presence, but he did not reappear after the morning break. Named Office to represent him, Claire Carlton-Hanciels told judges that his client was shocked and needed rest.
Courtenay Griffiths has expressed doubts about the impartiality of the special tribunal set up under UN auspices. It relies on American diplomatic telegrams recently revealed by the website Wikileaks. In one of these documents, the U.S. ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, wrote March 10, 2009 as if Charles Taylor is acquitted or sentenced to a lenient sentence, his return to Liberia could threaten the peace, precarious in this country.
The court agreed to consider two of those telegrams while refusing to investigate them. Courtenay Griffiths called for a delay to use these elements in its written argument. Judge Richard Lussick challenged the initiatives of the lawyer. "If Taylor thinks he can disobey the instructions (...) at will, then that means he runs the court, not us," said the judge.
"You do not point this court, you know." Courtenay Griffiths said he would appeal the denial issued on Monday by judges. He threatened to boycott the proceedings of the court until the decision of the Appeals Chamber and called for a postponement of oral argument. The verdict in the trial of Charles Taylor should be made later in the year 2011.
"The credibility of the final decision will be severely dented if the judges refuse to listen to the arguments of the defense," warned Courtenay Griffiths. Aged 63, Charles Taylor launched a rebellion in 1989 against Samuel Doe, then president of Liberia. The civil war that ended in 1996, was 250,000 dead.
He became president of the country after a campaign marked by a macabre slogan: "You killed my mother, you killed my father. I will vote for you." Faced with a growing internal opposition and U.S. pressure, Charles Taylor resigned in 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria. That same year he was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
If sentenced to imprisonment, he will serve in Britain. 
He was charged with murder, rape, mutilation, sexual slavery and conscription of child soldiers during the war in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, but the former Liberian president denies these charges. His lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths, slammed the door after the refusal of the judges the night before to save the written argument submitted by the defense because it was submitted after the deadline, set for 14 January.
"Our presence in this court is inconsistent with representing the interests of the accused, the lawyer said. It's a total farce as the judges will not have the basic information contained in the written version of our argument. " The president of the court, Teresa Doherty, Courtenay Griffiths warned that he risked being prosecuted for contempt, an offense punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
After more than three years of often chilling testimony, this departure theatrical debut recalls the turbulent trial in June 2007, when Charles Taylor had initially refused to come to court. Prosecutors were to begin Tuesday, Feb. 8 to submit their requisitions. This dramatic step of Defense should not thereby slowing the work of the court.
The judges allowed prosecutors to present evidence they believe that the former Liberian president ran a campaign of terror against civilians in Sierra Leone carried out by rebels of Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Prosecutors said the campaign was to allow Charles Taylor to monopolize the diamond wealth of Sierra Leone.
After the departure of his lawyer, former Liberian President stayed in his box, the guards announced that it judges that required his presence, but he did not reappear after the morning break. Named Office to represent him, Claire Carlton-Hanciels told judges that his client was shocked and needed rest.
Courtenay Griffiths has expressed doubts about the impartiality of the special tribunal set up under UN auspices. It relies on American diplomatic telegrams recently revealed by the website Wikileaks. In one of these documents, the U.S. ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, wrote March 10, 2009 as if Charles Taylor is acquitted or sentenced to a lenient sentence, his return to Liberia could threaten the peace, precarious in this country.
The court agreed to consider two of those telegrams while refusing to investigate them. Courtenay Griffiths called for a delay to use these elements in its written argument. Judge Richard Lussick challenged the initiatives of the lawyer. "If Taylor thinks he can disobey the instructions (...) at will, then that means he runs the court, not us," said the judge.
"You do not point this court, you know." Courtenay Griffiths said he would appeal the denial issued on Monday by judges. He threatened to boycott the proceedings of the court until the decision of the Appeals Chamber and called for a postponement of oral argument. The verdict in the trial of Charles Taylor should be made later in the year 2011.
"The credibility of the final decision will be severely dented if the judges refuse to listen to the arguments of the defense," warned Courtenay Griffiths. Aged 63, Charles Taylor launched a rebellion in 1989 against Samuel Doe, then president of Liberia. The civil war that ended in 1996, was 250,000 dead.
He became president of the country after a campaign marked by a macabre slogan: "You killed my mother, you killed my father. I will vote for you." Faced with a growing internal opposition and U.S. pressure, Charles Taylor resigned in 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria. That same year he was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
If sentenced to imprisonment, he will serve in Britain.
- Charles Taylor's Lawyer Storms out of Court (08/02/2011)
- Profile: Charles Taylor, former Liberian president (08/02/2011)
- Charles Taylor trial to wrap up (08/02/2011)
- Charles Taylor's defence lawyer storms out of war crimes court (08/02/2011)
- Charles Taylor's lawyer storms out of war crimes trial (08/02/2011)
No comments:
Post a Comment