The trial had been scheduled to take place from April 14-30 in Bellinzona, capital of Switzerland’s southern, Italian speaking canton of Ticino. It will be the first international criminal trial in a non-military Swiss court and “historic” according to Swiss group Civitas Maxima, one of the NGOs representing Liberian victims in the case. They said the decision taken by the Swiss court was appropriate to “safeguard the health of all the trial participants, including the victims who reside abroad”, since Liberian witnesses are being called to testify in the trial. Kosiah, a former commander of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO), is charged with war crimes committed during the first Liberian civil war (1989-1996). “This and other cases abroad will encourage victims to come forward, and hopefully encourage the Government of Liberia to establish a domestic war crimes courtexternal link,” says Hassan Bility, Director of the GJRP.

Source: Front Page Africa March 18, 2020 22:30 UTC