Charles Taylor’s boycott and refusal to show at the first day of his trial in The Hague for war crimes that occurred in Sierra Leone has sparked much response and criticism from scholars and commentators. Instead of attending the first day of his trial, Taylor sent a letter from his cell calling the court a “charade” and firing his counsel, apparently intending to represent himself.
The former founding Chief Prosecutor David Crane of the Special Court for Sierra Leone indicted Charles Taylor, Liberia’s former President, on March 3, 2003. The original indictment included seventeen counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including rape, murder, pillage, enslavement, mutilation, and unlawful recruitment of child soldiers. It was later changed to eleven to make for more concise charges.
Former Prosecutor David Crane attended the opening statements. His response to Taylor’s boycott is that “Taylor and his counsel are predictably providing the histrionics that accompany the public disgrace of a bloody tyrant.” He saw Taylor’s actions as no different from those of Milosevic or Hussein or any other former head of state on trial for war crimes.
With a three-week break before the trial begins, many are cautioning the court to ensure proper control over the proceedings in order to prevent a disaster. The presiding judge in this case has started well, and was able to manage the defense counsel’s attempts to derail the opening statements and was able to get the proceedings back on track. Corrine Dufka, a West African researcher for Human Rights Watch, noted that the judge has already started off well. Unlike the Milosevic trial where the defense and prosecution were allowed to go on and on and there was a lack of management from the bench, here the judge has already instituted order and is working to ensure a fair trial.
The trial resumes in three weeks on June 25.
For more information, please see:
Jurist – An Empty Chair at The Hague: Trying Charles Taylor – 08 June 2007
World Politics Review – Accountability in West Africa: Charles Taylor on Trial at The Hague – 07 June 2007
VOA – Charles Taylor Boycotts His War Crimes Trial in The Hague – 04 June 2007
Guardian – Liberia’s Taylor Snubs War Crimes Trial – June 2007
