Sierra Leone: Renewed commitment needed to end impunity

Index Number: AFR 51/007/2001
Date Published: 23 September 2001
Categories: Africa, Sierra Leone

More than one year after the UN Security Council decided to establish a Special Court for Sierra Leone, its realization as a fair, effective and viable court remains far from certain. This report looks at a number of issues surrounding the Court that need to be resolved including funding, temporal jurisdiction, an independent prosecution policy, clarification of the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and crimes committed by peace keeping personnel. In addition the report also examines the need to rebuild Sierra Leone's legal and judicial system and expresses concerns about the number of prisoners held without charge or trial in inadequate prison conditions.