Swiss court upholds 20-year sentence for Liberian ex-rebel commander

Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court confirmed a 20-year prison sentence for Alieu Kosiah, a former Liberian rebel commander, for war crimes committed between 1993 and 1995 during Liberia’s first civil war, Al Jazeera reported.

Kosiah was initially convicted in 2021 by Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court for multiple atrocities, including killing civilians and unarmed soldiers, and ordering lootings. The appeals chamber in 2023 upheld his sentence and found him guilty of crimes against humanity for the first time in Swiss history.

However, the supreme court overturned the crimes against humanity conviction, citing the principle of non-retroactivity since this offense was only introduced into Swiss law in 2011. The court maintained that Kosiah’s war crimes conviction and 20-year custodial sentence would stand.

Switzerland applies universal jurisdiction, allowing prosecution of international crimes regardless of where they occurred. This case represents the first war crimes conviction by a Swiss civilian court and the first conviction of a Liberian for war crimes from the country’s civil wars, according to Al Jazeera.

The ruling finalizes the legal process against Kosiah and highlights Switzerland’s role in prosecuting international war crimes under universal jurisdiction.