The SLCMP believes that it is crucial to provide feedback on the work of the Special Court that will enhance its capabilities, maximize the impact of its work on local communities and civil society in Sierra Leone, and raise public awareness of its mission and accomplishments.
This project seeks to contribute to this process by monitoring trials and providing ongoing evaluation of witness and outreach programmes. Such public discourse will enable the Court’s political, legal, and sociological importance to be widely recognized and its decisions properly digested by the public in the various stages of its work.
The SLCMP will transfer the important lessons learnt from observing the Special Court, a busy and active criminal court, to domestic criminal courts and institutions. The absence of rule of law, which was one of the root causes of the decade long war in Sierra Leone, continues to plague the country. Corruption continues unabated and prolonged and unfair trials which do not respect basic fairness are common.
The proper administration of juvenile justice, the duty to uphold the rights of the accused, and the adherence to human rights standards are all exceptions rather than the rule.
If the horrors of the past are to be prevented in the future, promoting a sound justice system should be a priority in the country’s post-conflict efforts. Enhancing civil society’s means to do independent reporting of the work of domestic institutions will be an important element of this.
