The Human Rights Institute of the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBAHRI), the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and Truth Hounds cordially invite you to join the webinar.

• Date: 10 November, at 16.00 – 18.00 Kyiv / 09.00 – 11.00 NY / 15.00 – 17.00 CET 
• Co-organizers: Human Rights Institute of the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBAHRI), International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Truth Hounds
• Format: online (ZOOM)
• Languages: English/ Ukrainian, with simultaneous interpretation 

OVERVIEW

From 1991 to 2002, Sierra Leone descended into a devastating civil war marked by extreme violence, widespread human rights abuses, and the use of children in armed conflict. Decades prior to the outbreak of hostilities, deep-seated problems—such as corruption, authoritarian governance, ethno-regional tensions, nepotism, and the marginalization of women, young people, and rural populations—had eroded state legitimacy and public trust. These grievances, coupled with neglect in basic services and political expression, created fertile ground for rebellion. On 23 March 1991, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), backed by foreign actors, launched an attack on Bomaru, initiating a brutal insurgency that quickly expanded as disenchanted youth and marginalized communities offered recruits, hoping for change. The state’s security forces, weakened by poor resources and internal distrust, struggled to respond effectively. Military coups, colored by promises of reform, instead often worsened instability, while key peace agreements—like the one in Lomé in 1999—tried to balance peace with justice, often conceding to rebel demands such as amnesty to ensure negotiability. 

In the aftermath of the conflict, Sierra Leone adopted a range of transitional justice measures, including the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), as well as limited compensation programs and institutional reforms. The Special Court, created in 2002 through an agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone, had a significant impact on the development of international criminal law and the protection of human rights. Most notably, it convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor for his role in the Sierra Leonean armed conflict. Taylor was convicted for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law —an unprecedented judgment against a former head of state. The TRC, for its part, examined the causes and dynamics of the conflict and issued recommendations for institutional and legal reforms aimed at preventing recurrence. However, critiques about the balance of support for functioning and attention to the legacy of the SCSL and the TRC persist, reflecting the wider frustrations with the prioritisation of classical criminal justice over the more nuanced truth-seeking. Furthermore, many of TRC’s recommendations remain unimplemented, and compensation mechanisms, as well as guarantees of non-recurrence, proved insufficient to fully address the harms caused by the war and its undercurrents.

Questions for discussion:

• How was the balance between truth and accountability pursued in Sierra Leone’s transitional justice process, and what lessons can be drawn from it?
• Did the use of amnesty provisions, such as those in the Lomé Peace Accord, undermine justice or contribute to ending the conflict?
• To what extent did weak and politicized institutions hinder the pursuit of truth and justice in Sierra Leone?
• How did socio-economic inequalities, youth marginalization, and regional disparities contribute to fueling the conflict and sustaining the insurgency?
• What approaches were taken in Sierra Leone to manage public expectations around transitional justice, and were they effective?
• How did storytelling, public acknowledgment, and cultural expressions of memory—through the TRC, community hearings, and other initiatives—contribute to healing and reconciliation?

Moderators: 

• Inna Liniova, Director of the Human Rights Institute, Ukrainian Bar Association
• Kateryna Busol, Legal Advisor, International Center for Transitional Justice

Speakers:

• David M. Crane, former Chief Prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Founder of the Global Accountability Network
• Volodymyr Hryshko, Legal Counsel, Truth Hounds
• Binta Mansaray, Registrar of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone

Prior registration is MANDATORY to participate.

REGISTRATION

If you wish, you can make a charitable contribution and support the activities of the Ukrainian Bar Association.

SUPPORT

For additional information about the event, please contact Daria Lupiichuk at +380 (97) 256-30-41 or gr@uba.ua.