Sierra Leone special court; Hague training for Macedonian judicial officials

Justice George Gelaga King of Sierra Leone has been unanimously re-elected presiding judge of the appeals chamber of the Special Court of Sierra Leone.



He has been the presiding judge at the court since December 2002. His re-election means that he will continue in the post for another year.



The Special Court is an independent tribunal established jointly by the United Nations and the government of Sierra Leone. It is mandated to bring to justice those who bear the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed in Sierra Leone after November 30, 1996.



To date, the prosecutor has indicted eleven persons on various charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law.



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The Hague tribunal is hosting a group of Macedonian judges and prosecutors as part of a six-week training programme in international humanitarian law.



During this study visit, the judges and prosecutors will take part in lectures focusing on various aspects of the work of the tribunal.



The programme began in Skopje on March 31, with a course in international humanitarian law.



A second group of judges and prosecutors are expected in The Hague in early June. The programme is supported by the OSCE Spillover Mission to Skopje, the US Department of State, the Ministry of Justice of Macedonia and the Academy of Judicial Training in Skopje.