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| Charles Taylor to be sentenced for war crimes | Charles Taylor to be sentenced for war crimes |
| (7 days later) | |
| The former Liberian president Charles Taylor will be sentenced on Wednesday for aiding and abetting war crimes during the long-running civil war in Sierra Leone. | The former Liberian president Charles Taylor will be sentenced on Wednesday for aiding and abetting war crimes during the long-running civil war in Sierra Leone. |
| The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) in The Hague cannot impose capital punishment or life imprisonment but prosecutors have called for him to be given an 80-year prison term. | The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) in The Hague cannot impose capital punishment or life imprisonment but prosecutors have called for him to be given an 80-year prison term. |
| Any sentence handed out on Wednesday is likely to be served in the UK, which has offered to accommodate Taylor once his trial and appeal are completed. The civil war left more than 50,000 dead in the west African state. | Any sentence handed out on Wednesday is likely to be served in the UK, which has offered to accommodate Taylor once his trial and appeal are completed. The civil war left more than 50,000 dead in the west African state. |
| Taylor's defence lawyers have told the court that exiling him to Britain's jails – where a Serbian war crimes convict was attacked in his cell two years ago – would leave him "culturally isolated" and constitute a "punishment within a punishment". | Taylor's defence lawyers have told the court that exiling him to Britain's jails – where a Serbian war crimes convict was attacked in his cell two years ago – would leave him "culturally isolated" and constitute a "punishment within a punishment". |
| Taylor was found guilty last month of 11 counts of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity by supporting rebels in Sierra Leone between 1996 and 2002 in return for conflict diamonds. Offences of which he was found guilty included murder, rape, sexual slavery, recruiting child soldiers, enforced amputations and pillage. | Taylor was found guilty last month of 11 counts of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity by supporting rebels in Sierra Leone between 1996 and 2002 in return for conflict diamonds. Offences of which he was found guilty included murder, rape, sexual slavery, recruiting child soldiers, enforced amputations and pillage. |
| In an interim sentencing hearing, the court's chief prosecutor, Brenda Hollis, a former US military prosecutor, said: "Considering the extreme magnitude and seriousness of the crimes that were committed against the people of Sierra Leone for which Taylor has been found responsible … the prosecution recommends that Charles Taylor be sentenced to a prison term of no less than 80 years. No significant mitigating circumstances exist in this case. | In an interim sentencing hearing, the court's chief prosecutor, Brenda Hollis, a former US military prosecutor, said: "Considering the extreme magnitude and seriousness of the crimes that were committed against the people of Sierra Leone for which Taylor has been found responsible … the prosecution recommends that Charles Taylor be sentenced to a prison term of no less than 80 years. No significant mitigating circumstances exist in this case. |
| "[His] positions both as president of Liberia and within the west African regional bodies distinguish him from any other individual that has appeared before this court. Taylor's abuse of his authority and influence is especially egregious given that west African leaders repeatedly entrusted him with a role to facilitate peace." | "[His] positions both as president of Liberia and within the west African regional bodies distinguish him from any other individual that has appeared before this court. Taylor's abuse of his authority and influence is especially egregious given that west African leaders repeatedly entrusted him with a role to facilitate peace." |
| In his final address to the UN-backed tribunal in The Hague, the 64-year-old denied encouraging human rights abuses during the prolonged civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone, insisting he had in fact been trying to stabilise the region. | In his final address to the UN-backed tribunal in The Hague, the 64-year-old denied encouraging human rights abuses during the prolonged civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone, insisting he had in fact been trying to stabilise the region. |
| The court should deliver its sentence in a spirit of "reconciliation, not retribution", said Taylor, who offered no admission of wrongdoing or words of remorse. "I express my sadness and sympathy for crimes suffered by individuals and families in Sierra Leone," he told the panel of judges at the SCSL. | The court should deliver its sentence in a spirit of "reconciliation, not retribution", said Taylor, who offered no admission of wrongdoing or words of remorse. "I express my sadness and sympathy for crimes suffered by individuals and families in Sierra Leone," he told the panel of judges at the SCSL. |
| "What I did to bring peace to Sierra Leone was done with honour. I was convinced that unless there was peace in Sierra Leone, Liberia would not be able to move forward. I pushed the peace process hard, contrary to how I have been portrayed in this court." | "What I did to bring peace to Sierra Leone was done with honour. I was convinced that unless there was peace in Sierra Leone, Liberia would not be able to move forward. I pushed the peace process hard, contrary to how I have been portrayed in this court." |
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