Sentencing of a warlord who scarred a nation
Charles Taylor is likely spend the rest of his life in jail after being found guilty of commissioning atrocities in Sierra Leone's civil war
Charles Taylor verdict ends decade-long hunt for justice
The former Liberian president Charles Taylor was today found guilty of 'aiding and abetting' war crimes during Sierra Leone's civil war
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The moment Charles Taylor was sentenced to 50 years
Charles Taylor's sentencing today at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague:
Sentencing of a warlord who scarred a nation
Charles Taylor is likely spend the rest of his life in jail after being found guilty of commissioning atrocities in Sierra Leone's civil war
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Taylor sentence to reflect his 'position of authority'
Presiding judge Richard Lussick said that Charles Taylor's sentence of 50 years was supposed to reflect his position of authority.
The prosecution had recommended a sentence of 80 years, but the judge ruled this would be excessive as Taylor had not directly committed the crimes himself.
Judge Lussick said: "Leadership must be carried out by example by the prosecution of crimes not the commission of crimes.
"The sentence is intended to "underscore the gravity it attached to the betrayal of public trust."
'Innocent lives destroyed' as a result of Taylor's actions
Charles Taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for his role in Sierra Leone's brutal civil war.
The presiding judge Richard Lussick said: "The lives of many more innocent civilians in Sierra Leone were lost or destroyed as a direct result of his actions."
Last month, Taylor was convicted of 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity which included murder, rape, sexual slavery and recruiting child soldiers.
Although the court could not prove that Taylor directly ordered these crimes, is found that he provided"sustained and significant" support to the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels which committed many of the atrocities against civilians.
In particular, Taylor was found to have channeled weapons and ammunition to the rebels in exchange for "blood diamonds" mined using slave labor.
Judge: Charles Taylor crimes of 'utmost gravity'
Presiding Judge Richard Lussick says the crimes Charles Taylor was convicted of were of the "utmost gravity in terms of scale and brutality". He said Taylor planned "some of the most heinous crimes recorded in human history"
Judge sentences Charles Taylor for 50 years in prison
by Rohit Kachroo - Africa CorrespondentA judge in The Hague has sentenced Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison for his role in the 1991-2002 civil war in Sierra Leone.
Before announcing the sentence, the judge said that the fact that Taylor has no criminal record is not a factor, asking "who would prosecute him?"
Charles Taylor's defence counsel argued that his age (64) and health should be taken into account.
Outlining Taylor's conviction, the judge said he was responsible for planning "some of the most heinous crimes recorded in human history".
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Charles Taylor sentenced to 50 years in prison
The former Liberian president and convicted war criminal Charles Taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison by an international court in The Hague.
Charles Taylor prosecutor recommends prison term of 'no less than 80 years'
Brenda Hollis, the lead prosecutor in the Charles Taylor trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, has recommended a prison sentence of at least 80 years. At an interim hearing she said of the 64-year-old war criminal:
Considering the extreme magnitude and seriousness of the crimes that were committed against the people of Sierra Leone for which Taylor has been found responsible … the prosecution recommends that Charles Taylor be sentenced to a prison term of no less than 80 years. No significant mitigating circumstances exist in this case.
Charles Taylor 'likely to receive prison sentence'
The former Liberian president and convicted war criminal Charles Taylor is likely to receive a prison sentence, according to Human Rights Watch.
– Human rights watch websiteThe statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone provides that sentences should be 'imprisonment for a specified number of years'. Sentences may also include forfeiture of any 'property, proceeds and any assets acquired unlawfully or by criminal conduct'.
War criminal Charles Taylor may get UK prison sentence
The former Liberian president and convicted war criminal Charles Taylor is to be sentenced today.
In April, an international court found Taylor guilty of "aiding and abetting" crimes against humanity including murder, rape and conscription of child soldiers.
If he receives a prison sentence he will serve it in the UK under an agreement made with the Netherlands, where the trial was held.
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