Publisher's Synopsis
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for serious violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War, which began in 1991 and was declared officially over on January 18, 2002. The Special Court was born at the request of the President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who, on June 12, 2000, wrote a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan asking the international community to try those responsible for crimes during the conflict. The answer was prompt and on August 14, 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1315 requesting the Secretary-General to start negotiations with the Sierra Leonean government to create a Special Court. On January 16, 2002, the UN and the government of Sierra Leone signed an agreement establishing the Court. The Court is located in Freetown. Currently, eleven people have been indicted by the Special Court, charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law. Indictments against two of the accused were dropped after their deaths. The trials are placed into three groups: Revolutionary United Front, Civil Defence Forces, and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This series' presents the reasons that led to the establishment of The Special Court, and offers an overview of the cases brought before The Court. Volumes B-4.1.4. [ISBN 978 90 5887 170 1], B-4.1.5. [ISBN 978 90 5887 171 8], and B-4.1.6. [ISBN 978 90 5887 172 5] present the case of Fofana and Kondewa (Case No. 04-14).
