Liberian ex-leader Charles Taylor was convicted Thursday of arming rebels during Sierra Leone's civil war in return for blood diamonds, in an historic verdict for international justice.
In the first judgement against a
former head of state by a world court since the World War II Nuremberg
trials, Taylor was found guilty of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
"The trial chamber finds you guilty of aiding and abetting of all these crimes," said presiding judge Richard Lussick.
"The chamber finds beyond
reasonable doubt that the accused is criminally responsible... for
aiding and abetting in the commission of crimes one to 11 in the
indictment," Lussick said at the court, based just outside The Hague.
Dressed in a dark suit, white
shirt and red tie, the former president stood motionless as the verdict
was read and showed no emotion afterwards.
He will be sentenced by the same court on May 30.
If sentenced to jail, Taylor will be held in a British prison.
Read more here:
No comments:
Post a Comment