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Court tells former Liberian president to serve war crimes sentence in Britain

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor in the dock during his trial at the special court for Sierra Leone in The Hague in 2012. Photograph: Evert-Jan Daniels/EPA

Charles Taylor sought to serve 50-year sentence in Rwanda for war crimes committed during Sierra Leone’s civil war.

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor in the dock during his trial at the special court for Sierra Leone in The Hague in 2012. Photograph: Evert-Jan Daniels/EPA

The special court for Sierra Leone has denied the former Liberian president Charles Taylor’s request to serve his 50-year sentence for war crimes in Rwanda, rather than Britain.

Taylor was convicted in April 2012 of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for aiding murderous rebels in Sierra Leone’s civil war.

Taylor argued that detention in Britain violates his rights because the visa process will make it nearly impossible for his family to visit. He also complained about the conditions of his detention.

The court denied his request in a decision made public on Wednesday, saying Britain’s denial of his family’s visa application did not violate his rights.

It said that his wife simply had not met visa requirements and had ignored offers to help her to reapply.

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