Taylor, Charles fr en

Charles Taylor, President of Liberia from 1997 to 2003, is the first African president to face trial for war crimes. On 31 April 2004, the Special Court for Sierra Leone ruled Taylor’s position as former Head of State could not prevent him from being prosecuted by an international tribunal.

Charles Taylor is charged with five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, rape, sexual slavery, other inhumane acts and enslavement); five counts of war crimes (acts of terrorism, murder, outrage upon personal dignity, cruel treatment, pillage); and one count of other serious violation of international humanitarian law (enlisting children under the age of 15 years into armed forces). On the opening day of the trial, the Prosecution laid out a case which placed Taylor at the centre of a systematic campaign of terror waged against civilians in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996.

Following security concerns over holding the trial in Sierra Leone, CharlesTaylor’s trial is being conducted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone at the premises of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The trial started on 4 June 2007. After several months' delay, the first Prosecution witness was called on 7 January 2008.

View the Charles Taylor trial live online