Trial monitoring: Alieu Kosiah

Alieu Kosiah’s trial monitoring

Alieu Kosiah, former commander of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO), was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the First Liberian civil war.

Alieu Kosiah is the first person to be convicted of crimes against humanity in Switzerland. This ruling set a precedent by establishing that crimes against humanity committed before 2011 can be prosecuted in Switzerland, as it was the first time the Appeal Chamber had to rule on this question.

First Instance Proceedings

Despite several delays due to COVID-19, the trial began before the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) in Bellinzona with preliminary questions and the hearing of the defendant taking place between December 3 and December 11, 2020. Subsequently, the hearing of the plaintiffs, witnesses, and the final pleadings took place between February 15 and March 5, 2021.

On June 18, 2021, Alieu Kosiah was found guilty of: ordering the killing of 13 civilians and 2 unarmed soldiers; murdering 4 civilians; raping a civilian; ordering the cruel treatment of 7 civilians; infringing upon the dignity of a deceased civilian; repeatedly ordering the cruel, humiliating, and degrading treatment of several civilians; repeatedly inflicting cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment on several civilians; repeated orders to loot, and using a child soldier in armed hostilities. The FCC sentenced Mr. Kosiah to 20 years in prison.

Alieu Kosiah filed an appeal against the judgment, seeking an acquittal. The plaintiffs also lodged an appeal requesting that the charges against the accused be qualified not only as violations of the laws of war, but also as crimes against humanity. On September 2, 2022, following the plaintiffs’ appeal, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) filed an amended indictment against Alieu Kosiah to include charges of crimes against humanity.

Trial monitoring available soon

Appeal proceedings

Appeal proceedings were held in Bellinzona from January 11, 2023, to February 3, 2023.

On June 1, 2023, the Appeals Chamber of the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (FCC) found Alieu Kosiah guilty of multiple counts of war crimes and multiple counts of crimes against humanity. He received a prison sentence of 20 years.

Trial monitoring available soon