MONROVIA – Adama Kiatamba Dempster, a longstanding advocate for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia and National Secretary General of the Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia, on behalf of the human rights community civil society we welcome an invitation from the Liberian Senate to participate in a public hearing on the harmonized bills seeking to establish the Special War Crimes Court for Liberia (SWCTL) and the Special Economic and Corruption Crimes Court- National Anti-Corruption Court Act.
The invitation, extended by the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims and Petitions, reflects the Legislature’s commitment to ensuring an inclusive and participatory process as Liberia advances efforts to address accountability for civil war-era atrocities and major corruption-related offenses. The public hearing is scheduled for November 25, 2026, at 12:00 noon in the Senate Chamber Annex, where stakeholders will have the opportunity to present their views and recommendations on the proposed legislation.
The intent of the hearing is to bring together civil society organizations, victims’ groups, human rights defenders, legal practitioners, government representatives, and other stakeholders to discuss the harmonized bills before recommendations are forwarded to the full Senate for consideration.
We want to thank the Senate for engaging a broad range of stakeholders and conducting due diligence in the legislative process on this matter. This public hearing represents an important milestone in Liberia’s quest for justice and accountability.
And moreover a meaningful consultations with citizens, victims, survivors, and experts are essential to ensuring that the proposed court reflects international standards, protects the rights of victims, guarantees due process for accused persons, and strengthens public confidence in the rule of law.
The proposed Special War Crimes Court is consistent with longstanding advocacy by Liberia’s human rights, transitional justice actors and the civil society communities for the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). We further believe the hearing will provide valuable opportunity for national and international experts to contribute insights on the court’s mandate, jurisdiction, independence, structure, and operational effectiveness.
“We therefore want to appreciate the Liberian Senate for creating this space for public engagement through dialogue and recognizing civil society and the Independent National Commission on Human Rights initial submission of war court crimes draft bill in 2025. Civil society and human rights community remains committed to participating constructively in these process and supporting efforts aimed at delivering justice for victims while promoting reconciliation, accountability, and lasting peace.
We see the senate action as a backing in line with the Joint Resolution adopted April 2024, by both Houses of the 55th National Legislature supporting the establishment of a war and economic crimes court process in Liberia.
We call on victims’ associations, youth and women’s organizations, religious leaders, traditional leaders, development partners, and the wider Liberian public to actively participate in the national dialogue surrounding the proposed courts.
We believe the establishment of these accountability mechanisms is not only about addressing the crimes of the past; it is about strengthening democratic governance, combating impunity, promoting national healing, and ensuring that future generations inherit a society founded on justice and respect for human rights.
It’s clear that the upcoming hearing is a significant milestone in Liberia’s ongoing pursuit of truth, justice, accountability, and reconciliation, while reinforcing public confidence in national efforts to confront the legacy of conflict and impunity as a nation.
