Torture and Corruption: War Crimes Trial of Former Liberian President to Proceed

May 4, 2009— -- The gruesome trial of the former Liberian president, who witnesses say gave orders to rape, mutilate, and amputate his enemies, will continue, as judges upheld the prosecution's case today.

Judges at the war crimes trial of Charles Taylor denied the defense's motion for acquittal "in its entirety," saying that there is enough evidence that Taylor was directly involved in the atrocities carried out against civilians during Sierra Leone's brutal civil war to continue the trial.

The judges held that "during the campaign to terrorize the civilian population civilians were killed, raped, forced into sexual slavery, subjected to physical violence including amputations and mutilation, and were abducted and forced to labor" and "that children participated actively."

Taylor, who served as Liberia's president from 1997 to 2003, is charged by the Special Court for Sierra Leone with 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Sierra Leone during the country's roughly 10-year conflict that officially ended in 2002.

The case is being tried in The Hague instead of in Sierra Leone to reduce chances of sparking unrest in the West African state or in neighboring Liberia.

Prosecutors have accused Taylor of murdering and mutilating civilians, including cutting off their limbs, using women and girls as sex slaves, abducting adults and children, and forcing them to perform forced labor or become fighters to further his economic and political ambitions in the region.

Stephen Rapp, lead prosecutor on the case, said he is "pleased that the Trial Chamber has ruled that Charles Taylor must answer each and every one of the eleven counts of our indictment."

Human rights activists and Sierra Leone experts have said that Taylor was directly involved in the atrocities that occurred in Sierra Leone.

"All evidence points to his direct involvement. There are thousands of witnesses," said Ian Smillie, research director for the nonprofit research organization Partnership Africa Canada. Smillie was an expert witness in Taylor's trial who testified that Taylor plundered millions of dollars in blood diamonds (diamonds exchanged for arms) in order to fund his militias.