Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Office of the Prosecutor

PRESS RELEASE
Freetown, Sierra Leone, 12 June 2003

Honouring the Inaugural World Day Against Child Labour

Honouring the inaugural World Day Against Child Labour, as designated by the International Labour Organization, the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone joins the cry that abuses of children must end.

"Two of the most egregious uses of children are sexual slavery and conscription of children into armed conflicts. Sierra Leone's conflict was characterized by both, and we hope to establish a strong precedent that these abuses must end," stated David Crane, Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

The Special Court has issued ten indictments in its first year and all of them allege the use of children in active hostilities. Nine of these indictments include charges of widespread or systematic use of sexual slavery of women and girls.

"By prosecuting perpetrators for systematic abduction and sexual enslavement of girls, we can and must deter such abuses in this region and throughout the world, "said Corrine Dufka, the Senior Human Rights Advisor to the Prosecutor.

The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an international tribunal established through an agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone. The agreement was signed in January of 2002 and the Special Court began operations in July of last year. The Office of the Prosecutor has indicted ten individuals and arrested two additional suspects.

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