Amnesty wants Taylor
2004-03-09 17:52
Nairobi - Amnesty International on Tuesday called on the Nigerian government to hand over former Liberian leader Charles Taylor to the UN-backed war crimes court in Sierra Leone.
In a statement released a day before the official opening of the Special Court for Sierra Leone on March 10, the human rights group said Nigeria and other countries must be willing to take measures to see that those accused of war crimes in the embattled west African country face trial.
"In particular, international pressure must be exerted on the Nigerian government which, in flagrant violation of its obligations under international law, is betraying African victims by openly shielding former Liberian President Charles Taylor from justice," said the statement.
"All states, both in West Africa and more widely, should respond positively to requests to enter into binding legal agreements with the Special Court, including to surrender those indicted," said the group.
The court last year indicted Taylor for supporting rebels responsible for committing widespread atrocities in Sierra Leone's brutal 10-year civil war.
He stands accused of supplying rebels with arms and ammunition in exchange for diamonds.
Despite the indictment, Taylor was able to flee to Nigeria last August under protection of a Nigerian government guarantee that he would not have to face the Special Court or a Nigerian court.
Last week, United Nations investigators searched Taylor's former residence in Monrovia.
Taylor is one of 13 people indicted by the Special Court for "bearing the greatest responsibility" for committing war crimes and other serious violations of international law in Sierra Leone after November 30, 1996.
Thousands of people in Sierra Leone were victims of murder, mutilations, kidnappings, sexual slavery, rape, and other crimes. Trials in the Special Court are expected to begin within two months.
The Amnesty International statement also called for funds to the Special Court to be increased in order for the court to operate effectively, and for the court to ensure defendants have the right to appeal against important pre-trial preliminary motions,
The court should also be able to award compensation to victims, it added. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA