Monrovia, Liberia – The Liberia National Heritage and Culture Development Association (LNHCDA) is rallying support for the release of former President Charles G. Taylor from prison in the United Kingdom.
The group described Taylor’s prosecution and sentencing as unjust and called on the international community to reexamine the case.
In a petition, the LNHCDA argued that the 2012 sentencing of Taylor by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) represented a case of “selective prosecution.”
The group emphasized that the principles of international justice demand fairness and consistency, asserting that Taylor was unfairly singled out while other regional actors who committed similar acts were not held accountable.
“The prosecution of former Liberian President Taylor for crimes committed during the Sierra Leone Civil War has been unjust,” the petition stated. “While rebel leader Foday Sankoh was primarily responsible, Taylor was only accused of aiding and abetting. It’s important to note that other regional leaders who engaged in similar actions were not prosecuted.”
According to the LNHCDA, aiding and abetting should not carry a punishment as severe as 50 years.
They contended that Taylor’s sentence reflects a disproportionate application of justice and undermines the credibility of the international judicial system.
“If aiding and abetting is indeed a crime, then consistency demands that all others who engaged in similar actions be held to the same standard. Furthermore, life imprisonment is an excessive and disproportionate punishment in this context,” the LNHCDA argued.
The petition concluded by calling for fairness, accountability, and Taylor’s release.
“Justice must not be selective, and no individual should be used as a scapegoat while others go free. Join us in demanding a more balanced and just international judicial system by signing this petition,” it urged.
