Justice in Perspective - Sierra Leone

LATEST UPDATE

The TRC took statements from 7,706 Sierra Leoneans, including individuals living in Sierra Leone and refugees in Gambia, Guinea and Nigeria. The final report includes 3,500 pages of testimonies and 1,500 pages on the history of the conflict, human rights violations (with statistical apportioning of blame and names of people responsible), external factors, recommendations and so forth.

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TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE PROCESSES

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Updated in August 2011

Special Court for Sierra Leone

Updated in August 2011

Reparations programme

Updated in August 2011

Message

There is no result.

Sierra Leone

Details: Category: Country; Created on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 00:00; Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 22:15; Published on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 00:00; Hits: 138

In 1961, Sierra Leone gained independence from Great Britain. Following decades of poor governance and conflict in neighbouring Liberia, a brutal war between the Sierra Leonean government and the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) began in 1991. It was characterised by widespread violence and human rights abuses on both sides. The war officially ended with the signing of the Lomé Peace Accord on 7 July 1999.

Article XXVI of the accord called for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission within 90 days of signing. The commission was established by law in 2000 and launched in 2002. It released its final report in October 2004. (Read more about the commission.)

The Lomé Peace Accord made no mention of prosecutions of those responsible for human rights violations during the war. Partly as a result of lobbying by civil society and partly in response to the RUF taking United Nations peacekeepers hostage because of a provision in the accord, the government of Sierra Leone signed an agreement with the United Nations to establish a hybrid court in the capital, Freetown, to try those most responsible for the violations. Although the peace accord granted a blanket amnesty to all the parties involved in the conflict, the Special Court for Sierra Leone ruled that the amnesty only applied to violations of domestic law and not to international crimes. (Read more about the Special Court for Sierra Leone.)

In 2008, Sierra Leone, in cooperation with the United Nations, established a national reparations programme, as recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. (Read more about the reparations programme.)