Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, and the increasing measures being imposed by the Swiss authorities in response to the pandemic, the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland has postponed the trial of Liberian war crimes’ suspect Alieu Kosiah.

The trial was scheduled to take place in Bellinzona, Switzerland, from April 14 to April 30, 2020.
 
The court is aiming at rescheduling the trial between June and July 2020.
 
Alieu Kosiah, a former commander of the ULIMO faction, during the Liberian civil war, is accused of the commission or command of acts of sexual violence, murders, cannibalism, recruitment of child soldiers, looting, forcing civilians to work in cruel conditions, and the forced movement of looted goods, weapons and ammunition.
 
Civitas Maxima and the Liberia-based Global Justice and Research Project (GJRP) understand that the decision taken by Federal Criminal Court was appropriate to safeguard the health of all the trial participants, including the victims who reside abroad.

Civitas Maxima