By: Mohamed Sahr (MRCG/ATJLF Fellow 2025)
In the wake of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war, which ended in 2002, the government and human rights groups sought justice for victims of the atrocities committed by those responsible for the violence. To this end, the Government of the day wrote to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, requesting the establishment of a special court to try individuals bearing the greatest responsibility for the war crimes.
That led to the formation of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, a unique tribunal designed to address the horrors of the war.
In response to the government’s request, a delegation was sent to the UN to negotiate the establishment of the court. This culminated in an agreement reached on January 16, 2002, to set up the Special Court for Sierra Leone. It was a hybrid institution, drawing on both Sierra Leonean and international legal systems. The Residual Special Court Sierra Leone (RSCSL) was created to manage the court’s residual functions after the closure of the main court over a decade ago.
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