Former Liberian President Charles Taylor will hear today Thursday whether appeals judges would uphold or overturn his landmark conviction and 50-year sentence for aiding murderous rebels in Sierra Leone's civil war.
Taylor, 65, became the first former head of state convicted by an international war crimes court since World War II when the Special Court for Sierra Leone found him guilty on April 26, 2012, of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including terrorism, murder, rape and using child soldiers. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
About 50,000 people died in the 11-year civil war that ended in 2002.
Thousands more were left mutilated in a conflict that became known for the extreme cruelty of rival rebel groups who gained international notoriety for hacking off the limbs of their victims and carving their groups' initials into opponents. The rebels developed gruesome terms for the mutilations that became their chilling trademark: They would offer their victims the choice of "long sleeves'' or "short sleeves'' - having their hands hacked off or their arms sliced off above the elbow.
Taylor was convicted not only of aiding and abetting Sierra Leone rebels from Liberia, but also for actually planning some of the attacks carried out by Sierra Leone rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council.
If Taylor's sentence is upheld, he will be transferred to Britain, which has agreed to provide a cell for him.
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