Communicating Justice

Stephen Rapp in his previous position as 
Chief Prosecutor for the SCSL

The Hague, September 9, 2009 -- Mr Stephen Rapp, the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), has resigned after three years working for the part international, part Sierra Leonean court. The SCSL is currently trying the former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, in The Hague and Mr Rapp is quoted as saying that Mr Taylor’s story is different to that presented in the prosecution’s evidence.

Mr Rapp is a highly experienced prosecutor in the sphere of international criminal law. He was Chief of the Prosecution for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda during 1994 and in 2006 he was appointed to the SCSL by UN Secretary General Kofi Anan. During the next three years he was a part in many firsts for criminal prosecution including the first ever convictions: for the recruitment of child soldiers, for sexual slavery and for forced marriages as breaches of human rights.

Rapp describes the SCSL as a partnership between the country and the UN which has tried to hold, expect for Charles Taylor who is being tried in The Hague, the trials of those responsible for the 10 year long civil war and associated atrocities, in Sierra Leone itself.

Mr Rapp officially gave notice on September 7 having been appointed as Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues at the United States Senate in Washington.

The BBC WST Adolphus Williams met with Mr Rapp in the Hague before his departure to the United States.