Today (26/4/12) at the Hague former Liberian President Charles Taylor has been convicted of aiding and abetting crimes against humanity at an International Criminal Court (ICC)/United Nations Special Tribunal hybrid. The 11 offences including rape, sexual slavery, slavery, mutilation and the use of child soldiers relate to the 11 year civil war in Sierra Leone.The verdict is important because it marks possibly the first time that a head of state has been convicted by an international court and certainly the first time that one has been convicted by an ICC/UN court. Therefore it marks a landmark in the advancement of international justice and the fight against war crimes and crimes against humanity. Something that members of the Syria Contact Group should be well aware of.
Unfortunately very few people here in Britain will be aware that it has happened because we're still going with blanket coverage of the second day of Rupert Murdoch giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics. I wouldn't mind so much but one of the key things that made the trial possible was former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to send British troops into Sierra Leone in 2000. Also now that he has been convicted Taylor is expected to serve at least part of his sentence here in the UK.
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