Communicating Justice

January 12, 2009
After a relaxing Christmas Holiday, Charles Taylor comes face to face with one of his own Nationals; a Journalist who alleged that Taylor’s presidency in Liberia had an indisputable character flaw of torturing civilians. Mr. Hassan Bility told the Judges of the Special Court for Sierra Leone that he himself suffered several arrests and mistreatments at the hands of Taylor’s security forces for writing news and editorials on the Sierra Leone conflict. Joseph Cheeseman reports from The Hague.

 Click here to listen to Joseph Cheeseman's report (January 12, 2009)

January 13, 2009
Horrible tales of mental and physical torture continue to characterize the testimonies of the Liberian Prosecution Witness testifying against Charles Taylor for the second day in The Hague. Hassan Bility, a Liberian Journalist, testified to being detained for a total of six months and, on one occasion, being interviewed by Taylor for two and a half hours, and then thrown into the back of the pickup like a bag of rice. Mariama Khai Fornah reports from The Hague.

 Click here to listen to Mariama Khai Fornah's report (January 13, 2009)

January 14, 2009
The Defence Team of Former Liberian President, Charles Taylor has told the UN backed Special Court for Sierra Leone that Liberian Journalist, Hassan Bility was a member two Liberian Rebel groups ULIMO-K and LURD that fought against Taylor’s government. The Defense Team indicated to the court that Bility has a personal hatred for the Former President Taylor. The Defence also declared that Mr. Bility was a spy for several international groups during the presidency of Mr. Taylor. Mariama Khai Fornah has more.

Click here to listen to Mariama Khai Fornah's report (January 14, 2009)

January 15, 2009
Liberian Journalist Hassan Bility has testified before four international courts regarding situations in Liberia during the presidency of Charles Taylor. Mr. Bility testified in the RUF case in 2004 in Sierra Leone, he also testified in a Dutch Court against Dutch National Guss Kouwenhoven in 2006; he testified against Chuckie Taylor in Miami in 2008, and now he is testifying against his Former President Charles Taylor. But how accurate are Bility’s accounts before the four international tribunals about events in Liberia during Taylor’s regime? The Legal Team defending Mr. Taylor says Hassan Bility is a liar and all of his testimonies in the four courts are conflicting and contradictorily. Mariama Khai Fornah reports from The Hague.

Click here to listen to Mariama Khai Fornah's report (January 15, 2009)

January 16, 2009
The court does not sit on Fridays