Special Court for Sierra Leone
Press and Public Affairs Office

PRESS RELEASE
Freetown, Sierra Leone, 21 January 2004

Norman Communications Restricted

The Registrar of the Special Court for Sierra Leone has ordered that all communications involving Sam Hinga Norman - except for those with his legal representation - be restricted for a period of 14 days after a telephone intercept recorded late Monday.

The content of the intercepted conversation indicated his involvement in coordinating activities calculated to cause civil unrest in Sierra Leone.

The Registrar acted on the urgent application of the Prosecutor, who invoked Rule 48 of the Rules of Detention.

Rule 48 allows for the Prosecutor to request the Registrar "to prohibit, regulate or set conditions for contact between a Detainee and any other person if the Prosecutor has reasonable grounds for believing that such contact would prejudice or otherwise affect the outcome of proceedings."

It follows from this rule that communications and visits between a detainee and any other person may be prohibited if there are reasons to believe that such communications and visits would lead to a detainee's statements appearing in the media with the effect of undermining the mandate of the Special Court.

Effective immediately, Norman will no longer be able to make or receive telephone calls, except to his legal representatives. Visits, except from his lawyers, are also prohibited. The order will be reviewed by the Registrar after 14 days.

Norman was taken into custody by the Special Court last March. He faces eight counts of
crimes against humanity, violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law.

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