The Special Court for Sierra Leone, otherwise called the "Special Court" or the SCSL, is a judicial body set up by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to "prosecute persons who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law" committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 and during the Sierra Leone Civil War. The court's working language is English. The court lists offices in Freetown, The Hague, and New York City.
On 26 April 2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first African head of state to be convicted for his part in war crimes.
Read more about Special Court For Sierra Leone: Origin, Jurisdiction, Structure, Indictees, See Also
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