JURIST - Paper Chase: Sierra Leone tribunal rules former Liberian president not immune from prosecution

The UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone has ruled that former Liberian president Charles Taylor (profile provided by BBC News) should stand trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity arising from his role Sierra Leone's rebel war, rejecting defense arguments that Taylor was a sitting president when he was indicted and therefore immune from prosecution. In its judgment, the Court wrote that "after careful consideration of international jurisprudence, the principle since now established that a sovereign equality of states does not prevent a head of state from being prosecuted before an international tribunal or court." Read the Court's decision [PDF], Taylor's indictment, and other case materials. The Special Court provides this press release and a summary of its decision. AFP has more.