For Immediate Release:

West Africa: Taylor Indictment Advances Justice
Liberian President Must Be Arrested

(New York, June 4, 2003) -Liberian President Charles Taylor should be
arrested by the government of any country he travels to, now that his
indictment has been announced by the Sierra Leone Special Court, Human
Rights Watch said today. The Liberian president was attending peace
talks in Ghana when the indictment was "unsealed."

The indictment charges Taylor with "bearing the greatest responsibility"
for war crimes (murder, taking hostages); crimes against humanity
(extermination, rape, murder, sexual slavery); and other serious
violations of international humanitarian law (use of child soldiers) in
Sierra Leone.

"Charles Taylor is one of the single greatest causes of spreading wars
in West Africa," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the
Africa division of Human Rights Watch. "His indictment is a tremendous
step forward, but his arrest would be even better."

The Sierra Leone Special Court approved the indictment on March 7, but
it has been sealed since then, and only made public today. A warrant for
Taylor's arrest has been served on the Ghanaian authorities and sent to
Interpol.

Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations Security Council to
address the security situation in Monrovia, which is likely to decline
in the wake of the indictment.

The indictment alleges that Taylor provided training and helped finance
the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by Foday Sankoh, in
preparation for RUF armed action in Sierra Leone and during the
subsequent armed conflict in Sierra Leone. It also alleges that Taylor
acted in concert with members of the RUF/Armed Forces Revolutionary
Council (AFRC) rebel alliance who are accused of horrific crimes.

Rebel leaders who have been supported by Taylor, including RUF leader
Sam "Mosquito" Bockarie, have also been linked to recent abuses against
civilians in western Côte d'Ivoire. Bockarie was reportedly killed by
Taylor last month. The last indicted individual who remains at large,
Johnny Paul Koroma, is believed to be still in Liberia despite calls for
Taylor to turn him over to the Special Court.

"The indictment against Taylor sends a strong message that no one is
above the law when it comes to accountability for war crimes, crimes
against humanity, and serious violations of international humanitarian
law," said Takirambudde. "Charles Taylor should not be immune from
prosecution for these crimes simply because he is the president of
Liberia."

The Special Court's Statute and implementing legislation specifically
provide that official capacity is no defense to arrest or prosecution.
The statutes for the Rwanda and Yugoslav Tribunals and the International
Criminal Court similarly bar immunity based on official position,
reflecting the increasing trend by international courts to bring
officials to justice for war crimes, crimes against humanity and
violations of international humanitarian law, even while they are still
in office.

The Special Court was established by agreement between the United
Nations and Sierra Leone and is designed to function for three years.
The Special Court has power to prosecute those "who bear the greatest
responsibility" for serious violations of international humanitarian law
and certain violations of Sierra Leone law committed in Sierra Leone
since November 30, 1996.

For Human Rights Watch's reports on the widespread and systematic use of
rape and sexual violence and other crimes committed in Sierra Leone, see
"We'll Kill You If You Cry: Sexual Violence in the Sierra Leone
Conflict," http://hrw.org/reports/2003/sierraleone/sierleon0103.pdf,
"Sowing Terror: Atrocities Against Civilians in Sierra Leone,"
http://www.hrw.org/reports98/sierra/ and "Sierra Leone: Getting Away
with Murder, Mutilation, and Rape,"
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/sierra/.

For more information, please contact:
In New York, Richard Dicker: +1-212-216-1248
In Brussels, Leslie Lefkow: +322-732-2009
In London, Steve Crawshaw: +4420-7713-2766

--
Jeff Scott, Ph. D.
Africa Division
Human Rights Watch
Phone: +1-212-216-1834
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
http://www.hrw.org/africa/index.php
en français, http://www.hrw.org/french/africa/