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Elise Keppler, counsel for the International
Justice program of Human Rights Watch, wrote this report. Elise Keppler and
Géraldine Mattioli, advocate for the International Justice program, conducted
the interviews upon which the report is based in Freetown in April 2005, and in
New York between March and October 2005. Richard Dicker, director of the
International Justice program, provided overall guidance and edited the report.
Géraldine Mattioli, Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watchs West Africa team leader
and Sierra Leone/Liberia researcher for the Africa division, Sara Darehshori,
senior counsel for the International Justice program, and Param-Preet Singh,
counsel for the International Justice program also edited the report. Wilder
Tayler, legal and policy director, conducted legal review and Ian Gorvin, consultant
in the program office, conducted program review. Intern Daniel Ulmer provided
substantial assistance in the research and editing of this report and made
drafting contributions in the section on trial management. Interns Carson
Beker, Genevieve Painter, Ruth Frolich, and Philipp Meissner also provided
helpful research assistance. Hannah Gaertner, associate for the International
Justice program, and Andrea Holley, manager of outreach and publications,
prepared this report for publication.
Human Rights Watch is grateful
to all the individuals who provided information for this report, particularly
staff at the Special Court for Sierra Leone and defense counsel who represent
accused at the Special Court, some of whom we interviewed several times. We
would also like to thank the members of Sierra Leone civil society, national
justice sector staff, independent court monitors, and Sierra Leone citizens around Freetown who took the time to share their thoughts with us. Human
Rights Watch would further like to acknowledge the University of California Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center, whose monitoring efforts in relation to the Special Court served as a useful resource for Human Rights Watch.
The International Justice program would like to express
appreciation to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the JEHT
Foundation, and Margaret Spanel for their support of our program. We would also
like to thank Mr. Allen Adler and the Edward T. Cone Foundation for their
contributions to support the programs work on ensuring surrender of Charles
Taylor to face trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone.