Judges in the Hague upheld the 50-year jail sentence of former Liberian President Charles Taylor for aiding murderous rebels in Sierra Leone's civil war in the 1990s, Al Jazeera reported. The 65-year-old Taylor had been found guilty by the Special Court for Sierra Leone on April 26, 2012 of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including terrorism, murder, rape and use of child soldiers.
The Judges at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, or SCSL, rejected Taylor's appeal on Thursday. He will continue serving 50 years for his sentence.
Over 50,000 people died in the 11-year civil war that ended in 2002 where Taylor was convicted of not only aiding and abetting rebels from Liberia, but also for planning some of the attacks carried out by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council and the Revolutionary United Front.
The U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon "welcomed" the decision by by the Appeals Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, he said in a statement.
"This is a historic and momentous day for the people of Sierra Leone and the region. The judgment is a significant milestone in international criminal justice, as it confirms the conviction of a former Head of State for aiding, abetting and planning war crimes and crimes against humanity," the U.N. Secretary-General added.
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