|
|
Article: Ex-leader boycotts war crimes trial Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has boycotted the landmark first international war crimes trial of a former African leader.
- Article from:
- Press and Journal, The Aberdeen (UK)
- Article date:
- June 5, 2007
CopyrightCopyright 2007 Press and Journal, The Aberdeen (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has boycotted the
landmark first international war crimes trial of a former African
leader.
His assigned lawyer yesterday walked out of the courtroom in The
Hague, Netherlands. Karim Khan said Taylor had fired him and wanted
to act as his own defence attorney.
Mr Khan left even though the presiding judge, Julia Sebutinde,
of Uganda, repeatedly directed him to continue to represent Taylor,
if only for the opening day.
"This is not a defence stunt. This is not defence counsel making
some cheap trick," Mr Khan said outside the courtroom. Taylor
"thought this was a railroad to a conviction and in those
circumstances, he exercised his right to ...