Human Rights Developments

Defending Human Rights

The Role of the International Community

President Taylor and other high-ranking government officials continued to attack human rights groups for publicizing abuses and blamed the human rights community for the withholding of international aid. Human rights lawyers who represented perceived government critics also came under attack. Human rights activists continued to flee the country fearing government reprisal for their work. In December 1999, James D. Torh, the executive director of a children's rights organization, Fore-Runners of Children's Universal Development, was detained and charged with sedition for a speech he made. According to the indictment, Torh was charged for allegedly telling students, among other things, that "[President Charles] Taylor is running this government from his pocket and that those who voted for this government must repent that it is failing" and "we are prepared to tell whoever that is in power that it is time of the Liberian people to stand up and tell you to step down." Torh was released on bail after five days and fled the country.

Despite these attacks, the nongovernmental human rights community continued to expand its activities. In contrast, the National Human Rights Commission created by the government in 1997 was virtually inactive. Only three of the five mandated members were appointed by the senate, and the commission's chair remained outside the country for much of the year.