On April 25, 2006, the government of Denmark refused a request from the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) to take custody of former Liberian president Charles Taylor should he be convicted of war crimes charges stemming from his alleged role in supporting violent Sierra Leonian rebels and instigating regional conflicts in West Africa that claimed up to 300,000 lives. Both Austria, Sweden, and the Netherlands similarly refused before the UK agreed to accept custody following the trial. The deal paved the way for SCSL to use the International Criminal Court (ICC) facilities, in a change of venue from Freetown, Sierra Leone which, Taylor deeply opposed. Proceedings against Taylor concluded on March 11, 2011.

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Learn more about Charles Taylor and the Special Court for Sierra Leone from the JURIST news archive.

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