Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Lincoln, Jessica

Titel

Internationalised justice in Sierra Leone

Ist Teil von

• Transitional Justice, Peace and Accountability, 2011, p.62-81

Auflage

1

Ort / Verlag

United Kingdom: Routledge

Erscheinungsjahr

2011

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The thirteen indictments issued by the Court were controversial due to their limited number, as well as raising questions over whether these indictees were actually widely considered as bearing the 'greatest responsibility'. The decision to prosecute individuals from the three main factions was largely welcomed, as it was broadly recognised that all sides had committed atrocities (TRC Report, 2004: Vol. 2, Ch. 2, Findings). The original request from former President Kabbah focused on a court to prosecute members of the RUF only, but such a narrow focus would have meant impunity prevailing. The subsequent decision to indict only a small number of individuals, even if they were representative of the conflict, was broadly considered as leaving an impunity gap for mid-to lower-level commanders. This chapter considers the implications of only prosecuting those few for the crimes of many, and asks how and whether this narrow definition of responsibility has helped to end impunity in Sierra Leone. It looks at the indictments issued for the three main factions, as well as that for Charles Taylor, and looks at the challenges faced by the Court in communicating this scaled-down version of justice.