Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president on trial in The Hague for war crimes, appeared in the court for the first time Tuesday. Wearing a blue suit and yellow tie, Taylor arrived twenty minutes late for a procedural hearing during which the judges explained why they had agreed to once again postpone the trial until August 20.
Taylor did not explain his decision to come to court, and the only words he spoke were to plead not guilty to the amended charge of sexual slavery. The slightly amended charge is a crime against humanity and covers the abduction, rape, and use as sex slaves of an unknown number of women and girls. Taylor has already pleaded not guilty to eleven charges in connection with his alleged control over armed rebels in Sierra Leone who murdered, raped, mutilated, and enslaved civilians.
The trial began with a day of opening statements on June 4, with a second day later that month. Taylor boycotted both days after firing his court-appointed attorney and claiming the court was not giving him a fair trial. The first prosecution witnesses were due to be heard on Tuesday, but court officials responsible for ensuring a fair trial filed a motion last week to have the trial further delayed until Taylor received adequate counsel. The judges agreed to postpone the trial until August 20 in order to give the new defense team, which has yet to be appointed, enough time to prepare. In explaining the decision, presiding Judge Julia Sebutinde of Uganda stated that the court blamed officials in the court’s registry for not appointing new defense attorneys in time for the trial and that Taylor should not be punished for the “laxity of the registry.”
Prosecutor Stephen Rapp has voiced his disapproval of the decision, dismissing his concerns as administrative issues “blown out of proportion in order to create a reason for what we view as obstruction of justice in this case.” He added that Taylor is receiving more money for his case, up to $2 million, than any other defendant charged by the court.
For more information, please see:
AllAfrica – Charles Taylor Appears at Trial – 03 July 2007
CNN – Liberia’s Taylor Appears in Court – 03 July 2007
International Herald Tribune – Charles Taylor Attends Hearing in War Crimes Trial – 03 July 2007
Reuters – Liberia’s Taylor Appears in Court After Boycott – 03 July 2007
Washington Post – Charles Taylor Attends Trial Hearing – 03 July 2007
