Charles Taylor: Difference between revisions

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The trial began in June 2007, despite Taylor’s refusal to appear in court for the opening session. The proceedings at The Hague unfolded slowly. The court heard the testimony of 91 witnesses called to testify against Taylor before the prosecution rested its case in February 2009. It was not until July 2009 that Taylor took the stand in his own defense. In his testimony he denied all charges against him, including conscripting child soldiers, ordering amputations and other mutilations of civilians, and illegally dealing in diamonds to fuel the 1990s conflict (so-called “blood diamonds”). The investigation into whether Taylor had indeed trafficked in diamonds was highly publicized, in part because British model Naomi Campbell was called to testify in August 2010 about a stone (or a number of stones) that Taylor allegedly had given her in South Africa in 1997.

[[File:W1240-p16x9-Taylor-m.jpg|thumb|326x326px|Taylor at his trial in the hague upset with a cameraman|link=Special:FilePath/W1240-p16x9-Taylor-m.jpg]]

His trial came to a close in March 2011 as the judges adjourned to consider a verdict, which was not expected for several months. The verdict, which was issued on April 26, 2012, found Taylor guilty on all 11 counts of bearing responsibility for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by rebel forces during Sierra Leone’s civil war, because he had aided and abetted the perpetrators; he was not, however, found guilty of having ordered or having instigated the crimes. Taylor’s sentence, which was handed down on May 30, 2012, was for 50 years in prison—effectively a life sentence for the then 64-year-old. Taylor filed an appeal, but on September 26, 2013, it was rejected, and his verdict and sentencing were upheld. While in prison, he has since converted to Judaism and might have become a much better man because of it.

His trial came to a close in March 2011 as the judges adjourned to consider a verdict, which was not expected for several months. The verdict, which was issued on April 26, 2012, found Taylor guilty on all 11 counts of bearing responsibility for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by rebel forces during Sierra Leone’s civil war, because he had aided and abetted the perpetrators; he was not, however, found guilty of having ordered or having instigated the crimes. Taylor’s sentence, which was handed down on May 30, 2012, was for 50 years in prison—effectively a life sentence for the then 64-year-old, the list of verbatim charges of which he was found guilty were: acts of terrorism, unlawful homicides, violence to the life, health and physical or mental well-being of people, in particular homicide, sexual violence, sexual slavery and any other form of sexual violence, assaults on personal dignity, physical violence, violence on the life, health and physical or mental well-being of people, in particular cruel treatment, other inhuman acts, use of child soldiers, recruitment or enlistment of minor children 15 years in armed forces or groups, or using them to actively participate in hostilities. Taylor filed an appeal, but on September 26, 2013, it was rejected, and his verdict and sentencing were upheld. While in prison, he has since converted to Judaism and might have become a much better man because of it.

He has protested in his imprisonment in Hm Frankland Prison, being denied several requests to be transferred to a prison in Rwanda.

He has protested in his imprisonment in Hm Frankland Prison, being denied several requests to be transferred to a prison in Rwanda,but in March 2015 the motion was denied and he was ordered to continue serving his sentence in the Frankland HD. In 2017 it was found that he had been making phone calls from the prison to provide guidance to the National Patriotic Party and threaten some of his enemies

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 The trial began in June 2007, despite Taylor’s refusal to appear in court for the opening session. The proceedings at The Hague unfolded slowly. The court heard the testimony of 91 witnesses called to testify against Taylor before the prosecution rested its case in February 2009. It was not until July 2009 that Taylor took the stand in his own defense. In his testimony he denied all charges against him, including conscripting child soldiers, ordering amputations and other mutilations of civilians, and illegally dealing in diamonds to fuel the 1990s conflict (so-called “blood diamonds”). The investigation into whether Taylor had indeed trafficked in diamonds was highly publicized, in part because British model Naomi Campbell was called to testify in August 2010 about a stone (or a number of stones) that Taylor allegedly had given her in South Africa in 1997.
 [[File:W1240-p16x9-Taylor-m.jpg|thumb|326x326px|Taylor at his trial in the hague upset with a cameraman|link=Special:FilePath/W1240-p16x9-Taylor-m.jpg]]
-His trial came to a close in March 2011 as the judges adjourned to consider a verdict, which was not expected for several months. The verdict, which was issued on April 26, 2012, found Taylor guilty on all 11 counts of bearing responsibility for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by rebel forces during Sierra Leone’s civil war, because he had aided and abetted the perpetrators; he was not, however, found guilty of having ordered or having instigated the crimes. Taylor’s sentence, which was handed down on May 30, 2012, was for 50 years in prison—effectively a life sentence for the then 64-year-old. Taylor filed an appeal, but on September 26, 2013, it was rejected, and his verdict and sentencing were upheld. While in prison, he has since converted to Judaism and might have become a much better man because of it.
+His trial came to a close in March 2011 as the judges adjourned to consider a verdict, which was not expected for several months. The verdict, which was issued on April 26, 2012, found Taylor guilty on all 11 counts of bearing responsibility for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by rebel forces during Sierra Leone’s civil war, because he had aided and abetted the perpetrators; he was not, however, found guilty of having ordered or having instigated the crimes. Taylor’s sentence, which was handed down on May 30, 2012, was for 50 years in prison—effectively a life sentence for the then 64-year-old, the list of verbatim charges of which he was found guilty were: acts of terrorism, unlawful homicides, violence to the life, health and physical or mental well-being of people, in particular homicide, sexual violence, sexual slavery and any other form of sexual violence, assaults on personal dignity, physical violence, violence on the life, health and physical or mental well-being of people, in particular cruel treatment, other inhuman acts, use of child soldiers, recruitment or enlistment of minor children 15 years in armed forces or groups, or using them to actively participate in hostilities. Taylor filed an appeal, but on September 26, 2013, it was rejected, and his verdict and sentencing were upheld. While in prison, he has since converted to Judaism and might have become a much better man because of it.
-He has protested in his imprisonment in Hm Frankland Prison, being denied several requests to be transferred to a prison in Rwanda.
+He has protested in his imprisonment in Hm Frankland Prison, being denied several requests to be transferred to a prison in Rwanda,but in March 2015 the motion was denied and he was ordered to continue serving his sentence in the Frankland HD. In 2017 it was found that he had been making phone calls from the prison to provide guidance to the National Patriotic Party and threaten some of his enemies