ARREST OF CHARLES TAYLOR AND THE PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

Abstract

The Sierra Leone Special Court has indicted Liberia's former President Charles Taylor on eleven counts of crimesagainst humanity, war crimes, and serious violations of international humanitarian law. In April 2006, CharlesTaylor was arrested and brought into the court's custody, and he was tried in 2007. On the 24th February, 2022Russia invaded Ukraine and many souls were lost. This article discusses three issues evolving international law,expected to be highlighted in Taylor's trial. First, Taylor's prosecution contributes to the ongoing challenge to thenorm of head-of-state immunity from prosecution for alleged human rights crimes. Second, the prosecution willemploy a relatively new tool in international prosecution—personal culpability based on participation in a jointcriminal enterprise. Finally, this case will continue the path-breaking work of the Special Court for Sierra Leonein prosecuting individuals for the crime of enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into armed forces andusing them in hostilities.