Human Rights Committee

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant

Initial report s of States parties due in November 1997

Sierra Leone *

[24 July 2012]

Contents

Paragraphs Page

I.Introduction1-203

IIImplementation of articles 1 – 26 of the Covenant21-1306

IIIConclusion13120

Annexes21

Initial report of Sierra Leone under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

I.Introduction

1.The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is one of the most widely accepted instruments setting forth international human rights standards and covering a vast range of rights pertaining to the fabric of society.

2.It is divided up into the substantive (dealing with the spirit and letter of the treaty) and the administrative which sets the guidelines for implementation and compliance with the same. There are 27 substantive articles including the right to life (art. 6), prohibition against torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (art.7), the right to fair trial (art. 14), freedom of speech (art. 19). All these rights postulated in the Covenant hinge on article 2, paragraph 1 that advocates for the enjoyment of the same rights without discrimination of any kind be it based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.

3.Article 2, paragraph 2, mandates States to take necessary steps in implementing the provisions of this treaty, whilst article 40 obligates the States to submit a document on the progress of implementation and observance of the ICCPR provisions.

4.The general obligations of the State therefore are:

(a)Article 2 requiring the State parties to refrain from enumerated civil and political rights and to respect and ensure such rights;

(b)That State parties ensure to guarantee that both substantive and procedural protections are available to persons within its jurisdiction;

(c)And the guarantee given in article 2, paragraph 3, that violations of ICCPR are subject to an available and effective remedy.

5.This treaty, like any other treaty, is a contract between States and successful implementation depends on the consent (most often indicated by ratification) of the signatories to it. In Sierra Leone, ratification of international treaties is provided for in Section 40 of the Constitution (1991) requiring enactment by Parliament.

6.Sierra Leone submitted the instrument of ratification in respect of the ICCPR but Parliament has yet to take necessary action by way of enactment or the passing of a resolution. That notwithstanding, the country continues to abide by the provisions of the ICCPR.

7.In light of the above, Sierra Leone has also not submitted a report, either initial or otherwise, to The Human Rights Council. However, a coordinating office responsible for ensuring the collation of s reports was recently set up thus the production and submission of this report.

Brief history of Sierra Leone

8.Sierra Leone, a former British Crown Colony and Protectorate, gained independence on 27 April 1961 under the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

9.In March 1967 Sierra Leone, then a constitutional monarchy/democracy, experienced a constitutional crisis over election results. As a result, a series of coups and counter-coups took place until March 1968, when the country returned to civilian rule under the All People’s Congress (APC). On 19 April 1971, Sierra Leone adopted a Republican Constitution, followed by a one-party constitution in 1978 and then a multi-party constitution which was promulgated in 1991.

10.That same year saw the outbreak of civil conflict, with initial attacks by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by a Corporal Foday Sankoh. President Joseph Saidu Momoh was overthrown on 29 April 1992 by junior army officers called "the National Provisional Ruling Council” (NPRC). The NPRC ruled Sierra Leone until April 1996 when multiparty Parliamentary and Presidential elections were held. The SLPP, led by Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, won the Presidency.

11.The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), led by Lt. Col. Johnny Paul Koroma, overthrew the newly elected SLPP government in May 1997. Koroma reportedly invited the RUF to the capital, Freetown to join his government. The legitimate government went into exile in Conakry, Guinea. The AFRC-RUF coalition remained in power for 10 months until dislodged by the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) forces under Nigerian command. The legitimate Government was reinstated in March 1998. On 6 January 1999 the combined AFRC and RUF soldiers re-entered Freetown attempting to force the Government out of power and civil strife and unrest ensued. The combined forces looted and destroyed much of eastern Freetown before withdrawing after three weeks. Following an ECOWAS brokered peace accord in Lomé in 1999, an uneasy peace returned to Sierra Leone.

12.The war was officially ended in 2002. That same year, the Government, as a result of an agreement with the United Nations, set up a Special Court to “prosecute persons who bear the greatest responsibility for the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law and crimes committed under Sierra Leonean law”. Thus far, 13 people were indicted out of whom 9 were prosecuted. The Special Court is still in operation and is expected to close by 2013.

13.Peaceful Presidential and Parliamentary elections were held in May 2002. President Kabbah prevailed with 70 per cent of the vote and the SLPP won a large majority in Parliament. The next presidential elections were held in May 2007. President Ernst Bai Koroma won in a Presidential run-off election with 54.6 per cent of the vote and the APC won a large majority in Parliament with 59 seats.

14.The civil war, social unrest and an unstable government led to disruptions in the social and economic life of the country. Over 20,000 people lost their lives and about two million people were displaced in addition to over half a million who fled to neighbouring states as refugees. Consequently, the dual effects of poverty and a devastating civil war hampered government activities and weakened the government’s capacity to fulfil its international reporting obligations to treaty monitoring bodies.

Land

15.Sierra Leone is a small coastal country located on the west coast of Africa covering an area of 71,620 square kilometres. It is bounded on the north and northeast by the Republic of Guinea, on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the Republic of Liberia. Sierra Leone, Guinea Liberia and more recently Ivory Coast together form the Mano River Union.

16.The tropical climate supports a dense rainforest in the southern and eastern provinces. There are two distinct seasons in Sierra Leone. November to April is the dry season and May to October is the wet (rainy) season. Very dry winds arrive from the Sahara during the Harmattan period during the months of December to February.

17.The country is divided into four administrative units constituting the Southern, Eastern and Northern Provinces and the Western Area. There are twelve districts and one hundred and forty nine chiefdoms. The chiefdoms are under the control of traditional leaders called Paramount Chiefs and their sub-chiefs. The division of the country into these administrative units is meant to provide better control and governance. There are also local government bodies in the district and city councils which compliment the efforts of the central government in providing basic amenities to their localities.

Population

18.According to the World Bank, the 2008 population of Sierra Leone is approximately 5,560,000 people. The annual growth rate is 2.3 per cent. As of 2007, 42 per cent of the population was urbanized, and 58 per cent lived in rural areas. The average annual growth rate of the urban population between 1990 and 2007 was 4.4 per cent.

Table 1

Population data

	2005	2007	2008
Population, total (millions)	5.11	5.42	5.56
Population growth (annual %)	3.6	2.8	2.5
Surface area (sq. km (thousands)	71.7	71.7	71.7

Source: World Bank: World Development Indicators Database, April 2009

Table 2

Age c omposition

Age group	Percentage
Persons aged below 15 years	34.7%
Persons aged 15-59 years	59.3%
Persons aged 60 years or older	6%

Source: World Bank: World Development Indicators Database, April 2009

19.The indigenous population is made up of 18 ethnics groups: Temne constitutes 30 per cent, Mende 30 per cent, Krio is about 1 per cent and the rest is spread over 15 other tribal groups: Kono, Limba, Susu, Mandingo, Fullah, Kuranko, Yalunka, Kissi, Galinas, Kru , Sherbro, Vai, Loko, Gola, Bullum and Krim. In addition there are significant Lebanese and Indian minorities, and small groups of European and Pakistani origin.

Language and religion

20.The official language of Sierra Leone is English but the Krio language is widely spoken in the country. Sixty per cent of the population constitute Muslims and 30 per cent are Christians, while the remaining 10 per cent practice African traditional religions. Religious tolerance is perhaps the biggest social asset of the country, with Muslims and Christians living side by side in peace and cross marriages not uncommon. Freedom of religion is provided for by the Constitution.

II.Implementation of articles 1 -26 of the Covenant

Article 1

21.This Covenant seeks to enshrine the inalienable right of all persons: to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

22.The Constitution of Sierra Leone; Act No. 6 of 1991, provides in Chapter II (Fundamental Principles of State Policy) and Chapter III (Bill of Rights)all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of HumanRights, The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and theICCPR, amongst others. This of necessity encompasses the recognition of the right to self-determination.

23.Notwithstanding the provision in the Constitution, albeit non-justiciable, several institutions have been established in furtherance of the protection of these rights either as provided for in the Constitution or as a result of policy/Acts of Parliament. Some institutions that have emerged from public opinion in the form of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations are the National Electoral Commission in compliance with the Constitutional provisions; also, those that have emanated as a result of policy or an Act of Parliament are the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) Act and the Public Service Commission Act. The PPRC Act is currently being revised to make the Commission even more effective in the discharge of its duties.

24.The Covenant in article 1, paragraph 2, affirms a particular aspect of the economic content of the right to self-determination; this paragraph mandates a State in discharging its obligations to state any factors or difficulties which prevent free disposal of their natural wealth and resources contrary to its provisions.

25.Article 6 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone has very aptly captured the intention of paragraph 2 and has gone a step further in implementing the Mines and Minerals Act No 12 of 2009 which deviates from the norm of exploitation and ventures into the sphere of free disposal that affects the enjoyment of other rights be they fundament or new and emerging rights. The National Minerals Act 2011 has also been promulgated which further provides for better management of the country’s mineral resources. These new Acts backed with the cadastre system established with the support of the UNDP has brought credibility to both the licensing process and the license itself. The Government of Sierra Leone sector policy is to ensure that the people receive optimal benefits from the mineral wealth and to facilitate economic and social development.

26.The improved governance of natural resources and the environment is a key feature of government stability and relevance. The government is mindful of the effects of unsustainable exploitation and management of the country’s natural resources. The aim is to:

-Strengthen National Environment Management Institutions

-Ensure that there are integrated environmental management mechanisms

-Mainstream environmental and disaster issues

-Strengthen the Environmental Impact Assessment Framework

-Strengthen environmental compliance and enforcement

27.The Sierra Leone Environmental Protection Agency has the task of addressing environmental issues. The government is in the process of harmonizing the Natural Resources and Environmental Management Act. Mechanisms are being set to ensure that all development projects have an environmental component.

Article 2

28.The Covenant generally leaves the implementation method to the state party within the framework set out in the article.

29.Act No.6 of 1991, which is the Constitution of Sierra Leone, was promulgated with the intent of ensuring respect for all under its jurisdiction.Section 15 affirms those fundamental rights and freedoms as postulated in the ICCPR with no discrimination or distinction based on race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex, but subject to the respect of the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest.

30.Notwithstanding the Constitutional protection afforded,Act No. 9 of 2004 established the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone with a mandate to promote and protect human rights by policing and investigating violations and ensuring that there is redress in the case of a/any violation/s. this has been an exalted institution as it was awarded A accreditation by the International Coordinating Committee for its exemplary work in the field.

Article 3

31.This article is intended to stress the need for the protection of women in society in order to enable them to enjoy civil and political rights on an equal footing with men.

32.In article 15 of the Constitution protection of fundamental human rights is afforded regardless of sex; however, the same cannot be said for the rest of the Constitution i.e. section 27 (4) (d). Statutes have been enacted to rescue this blatant discrimination against women in the form of what is popularly referred to as the three gender acts:

-Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act 2007

-The Devolution of Estate Act 2007

-Domestic Violence Act 2007

33.In addition to these, the Sexual Offences Bill has gone through Cabinet and will be tabled before Parliament in the shortest possible time and the Matrimonial Clauses Bill awaits submission to Cabinet. These Acts and bills have all been promulgated/drafted in part fulfilment of the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as mandated in Section 40 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.

34.There are also several policies aimed at further empowering women. The National Gender Strategic Plan was developed and launched on 3 June 2010 by His Excellency the President and is currently under review so as to further strengthen the provisions within it and aid implementation. The document has six priority areas including: Capacity Building, Management and Oversight; Women Participation in Governance; Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights; Women Empowerment; Research, Documentation and Information Communication and Technology; and Gender Budgeting and Accountability.

35.Further, a National Action Plan on United Nation Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1520 which has five pillars: Participation; Prevention; Protection; Prosecution; and Coordination was launched by His Excellency, the President, on 8 June 2010.

36.A Gender Equality Bill which amongst other things calls for the establishment of a Gender Commission has been prepared and will be tabled in Parliament as a Private Members Bill. Prior to the above, the Ministry in 2000 developed and launched the National Gender Mainstreaming Policy and the National Policy on the Advancement of Women.

37.In accordance with its obligation to the treaty body, the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs (MSWGCA) submitted its combined initial, second - fifth periodic reports under CEDAW to the United Nations Committee of Experts on CEDAW in May 2007. The Ministry has recently developed a draft sixth periodic report which is awaiting validation and official submission for presentation to the United Nations.

Article 4

38.The Covenant offers State parties the right to take measures derogating from the provisions of the same and the obligation under same provided that the guidelines set out are at all times adhered to.

39.The Constitution quiet adequately provides the guidelines to be effected in the event of a Public Emergency in article 29. It conforms to international standards and ensures that derogation of fundamental rights is not arbitrary.

40.However, notwithstanding the provision and protection afforded by the Constitution, gross violations have been perpetrated in the past during this period of public emergency. There has been abuse of basic human rights through, extra-judicial killings (during the NPRC and AFRC regimes), enforced disappearances, and total disregard of free disposal of natural resources as envisaged by the Covenant among other abuses. It must be noted that both the NPRC and the AFRC were illegal military regimes however and had suspended the Constitution as soon as they took over power. In this regard, the perpetrators of these gross violations for the most part ignored the provisions of section 29.

41.There have been several instances of public emergency declared in the past twenty years. The content of the declaration has not always adhered to the guidelines set out in the Covenant or the Constitution; or when it has, it has only paid lip service to it instead of actually respecting the obligations for which it had voluntary consented to be bound.

42.In rectifying this lapse in enforcement, the Human Rights Commission is the key institution tasked with human rights protection at all times as well as monitoring the discharge of the Government’s obligations under human rights treaties and international relations bordering on human rights. This Commission has the capacity to police and ensure that the guidelines are adhered to at all times.

Article 5

43.The Covenant recognizes the generality of this act in nature and scope.

44.The Constitution itself prohibits arbitrary behaviour that creates or may be considered as a violation of the rights protected therein. Therefore, the rights observed in the same, especially the justiciable rights are without restrictions but bear a correlative duty.

Article 6

45.The Covenant has ensured that no derogation is permitted from this right as it views it as the supreme right which is protected even in cases of public emergency.

46.The Constitution in section 16 provides that this right is inherent to be enjoyed and can only be denied in the execution of a court sentence; this provision affirms the individual’s inherent right to life and the protection the law affords it. It has been described as the ultimate right from which no derogation can be permitted, and must be interpreted widely. It therefore requires parties to take positive measures to reduce infant mortality and increase life expectancy, as well as forbidding arbitrary killings by security forces.

47.Sierra Leone is a nation which has been plagued with coup d’états and civil wars; in such an instance a State of Public Emergency occurs, the perpetrators of these ventures often times violate the fundamental rights of persons especially the right to life.

48.Knowing that the right to life is inherent denied only in circumstances stated by the Constitution, a moratorium fore-stalling the actual carrying out of all death sentences has been in place since 2008.

49.In trying to bring an end to impunity the Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) together with the United Nations created a hybrid Court, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, to address primary crimes under international criminal law and domestic law with a mandate of prosecuting those bearing the greatest responsibility in terms of the chain of command during the civil war.

50.During the 11 years civil war, the security forces/warring factions alike exhibited a total disregard for human life and dignity which resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians. This has been described as a failure by the State to prevent arbitrary killings as the right to life is not only taken in the strictest sense. The disappearance of individuals during this time and even in peace time has been seen as a failure to protect the right to life; although the police have some cases of missing persons, they say all such cases are serious as it often times leads to loss of life which they are bent on preventing.

51.In a bid to increase life expectancy, the Government of Sierra Leone instituted a policy of free health care to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under five in 2010. In order to support this policy, there was a general increase in the salaries of health workers, the provision of free drugs and massive and widespread infrastructural development in terms of health care facilities.

52.Even though there is a moratorium on the death penalty the Government has committed itself in the UPR recommendations, to abolish it by ratifying the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR and subsequently conducting a referendum for it abolishment. The Court Martial Regulations are also being amended providing defendants with an option to appeal.

Article 7

53.The Covenant in this article seeks to protect the dignity and the physical and mental integrity of the individual. There is no derogation from this article even in times of public emergency.

54.Section 20 of the Constitution provides for this right with no derogation but the act of torture itself is not defined. Inference can only be drawn from the Convention against Torture and other Inhumane and Degrading Treatment. The criminal law has no provision for torture as an offence.

55.In the domestic setting torture is quite often mistaken for assault, battery and grievous bodily harm.

56.There have been efforts to disabuse those persons who, according to the definition given in CAT, can perpetrate torture; these measures include the hosting of workshops and seminars/conferences by the government and civil society/NGO sectors. This is not adequate as there has been a lot of agitation about the implementation of the Convention against Tortureto ensure the prevention of torture.

57.During the war, torture, inhuman and degrading treatments were widespread and systematic. However, efforts are being made to address this and to prevent any reoccurrence. The establishment of the Special Court for Sierra Leone which has the jurisdiction to try those who bear the greatest responsibility for crimes committed during the conflict including torture is one such effort. To date, all the individuals who have been tried by the Court including Charles Taylor have been convicted. All expect former President of Liberia, Mr. Taylor are currently serving various terms of imprisonment whilst the sentencing of Mr. Taylor has just been given.

58.At present there are no official complaints of torture. There are however occurrences of inhuman and degrading treatment. Various Reports from the United Nations Integrated Peace Building Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), the Human Rights Commission, and Prisons Watch show that inmates of mental and penal institutions suffer inhuman and harsh conditions. Corporal punishment is still practiced in educational institutions and in prison facilities for offences committed within the prison in accordance with the Rules and Ordinances of the Prison of 1960 and 1961.

59.To correct the present situation and to secure the protection of individuals from all forms of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, procedures and institutions for the handling of such complaints and investigations have been established. It is hoped that the disciplinary bodies within the institutions hosting possible perpetrators can offer a means of redress e.g. The Judicial and Legal Service Commission, the Police Council and other internal disciplinary structures of relevant institutions. The Police Council has recently approved the setting up of an Independent Police Complaints Board which will further engender confidence in the Police Force as there will be an independent body available to look into specific and mandatory allegations made against members of the Police Force. The Judicial system allows for compensation for victims but this is hardly done and even when done such compensations are inadequate. There are comprehensive reform programmes within the justice and security sectors underway supported by various development partners and the government itself. Currently there are no occurrences of medical or scientific experiments being used on human beings.

Article 8

60.The Covenant seeks to combat any resurgent form of slavery and especially prohibit any form of servitude in which a person may be held in modern society. It includes situations such as prostituting, drug trafficking or some forms of psychiatric abuse where a person is compelled to depend on another with dire consequences.

61.The constitution in section 19(1) affords protection from slavery and forced labour. It essentially spells out what forced labour does not include and tries to protect the integrity of the individual in labour. Being a part of the International Labour Organization Sierra Leone has ratified a few of its conventions which sets forth the minimum standard of work environment and ethics.

62.All persons are free and equal under the law. The Anti-Human Trafficking Act No.7 of 2005 makes it an offence to traffic in persons with the consent of the victim irrelevant. The doctrine of ‘volenti non fit injuria’ does not work itself into this as consent cannot be used as a defence.

63.The Child Rights Act No.7 of 2007 goes further to list the conditions/criterion and standards under which children can work according to the ILO Worst Forms of Labour Convention No. 182 (1999) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

64.There is an Industrial Court established under the Judiciary which is available for any worker to take complaints against their employers to and the Constitution of Sierra Leone in Section 146 mandated Parliament to establish the Office of the Ombudsman which was done by Act no 2 of 1997. This Office was established as an independent investigative body, to investigate any administrative act of a prescribed authority against which a complaint is made by any person who claims to have suffered injustice as a result of maladministration carried out by Ministries Departments and Agencies.

Article 9

65.The Covenant seeks to protect all deprivations of liberty i.e. in criminal cases and in all other cases e.g. mental, vagrancy, drug addiction, educational purposes, immigration etc.

66.The right to liberty is guaranteed by section 17 of the Constitution. The Constitution denotes that this right can only be restricted in certain instances which include an order or sentence from the High Court which has to be executed, for the purpose of bringing an individual to court, for the purpose of educating an individual where he has not attained the age of 21., and in consequence of an individual’s unfitness to plead to a charge.

67.There are occurrences of arbitrary arrest, especially by the police for very minor offences. The laws of the land make provision for compensation but this is hardly done and even when done is inadequate.

68.Reporting on deprivation of liberty is difficult to do as cases of arbitrary deprivation are seldom recorded.There are several cases of persons being locked up contrary to the provisions set out in section 18 however, upon research it was discovered that many times there were mitigating factors present rather than a deliberate violation. The primary factor amongst these is a slow justice system. In a number of instances, these cases (sadly) are not recorded.

69.The police have made it mandatory for all matters to be recorded; they have put forward that overcrowding in their cells can be prevented if all matters are document for proper analysis.

Article 10

70.The Covenant affords prisoners the right to the enjoyment of humanity. There are standards that are applicable for the proper treatment of prisoners; the national and administrative protocol including the minimum standard in protecting this right must be given.

71.The Constitution in section 15 affords the individual under its jurisdiction the basic fundamental human rights and freedoms i.e. the right to life, the protection from slavery and forced labour (even at his instance the prisoner can rely on section 19 (2) (b)), and protection from the deprivation of property. Prisoners can still seek protection under the law (especially with regards to fair hearing, ex post facto law, and double jeopardy), has freedom of conscience, expression, and protection from discrimination and is entitled to the same protection as others under section 28 except if his rights go against the guidelines of a public emergency situation.

72.The prisoner is also a recipient of the protection afforded by the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

73.An accused person under the Constitution can rely on section 17 and 23 for the protection of his rights. The Criminal Procedure Act of 1965 details the protocol of arrest which mimics the Constitution however; it is silent as to the validity of an arrest where the protocol/rules have not been followed. Legal practitioners have always used the jurisprudence of the Common Law system in pleading their case in the instance of a violation.

Article 11

74.The Covenant envisages that deprivation of liberty can result from contractual obligations or civil liability.

75.The Constitution in section 17 stipulates the instances for which a person may be deprived of his liberty. It goes further to offer compensation in the instance of unlawful arrest and detention.

Article 12

Implementation

76.The Covenant recognizes the right to move freely especially within a territory subject only to the provisions of the law which are necessary for national security, public order, public health and the rights and freedoms of others.

77.Section 18 of the Constitution, prohibits the deprivation of the right to freedom of movement except where such right is restricted in accordance with the law. The circumstances under which a person might be deprived of his freedom of movement in Sierra Leone include the limitation of such right which is reasonably requiredin the interests of public defence, public health, public safety, public morality or the conservation of natural resources such as mineral, marine, forest and other resources of Sierra Leone. This right can also be limited for the imposition or restriction of movement or residence in Sierra Leone of any person who is not a Sierra Leonean and other justifiable reasons.

78.To guarantee this right in accordance with the law, National Identity Cards are available to all citizens of Sierra Leonewho apply and residential permits are granted by the immigration department to non citizens who are permitted to move around and reside freely. National Passports, which are now ECOWAS passports are also granted to all citizens of Sierra Leone who apply for one. Issuance of all travelling documents is done by the Immigration Department, after rigorous scrutiny to ensure that applicants fulfil the requirements of holding a national passport or travelling document.Once a national passport has been issued, it can only be withdrawn under certain circumstances which include: To restrict the movement of an individual who is before the courts of law for a criminal offence or when an individual ceases to be a citizen of the country such as a naturalized citizen whose citizenship is revoked in accordance with the law.

79.Furthermore, the constitution protects citizens against banishment from their place of origin. As such, where a person is prohibited from entering or residing in a place in which he is an indigene, the constitution in section 18(4) makes provision for him to have the matter reviewed by an independent an impartial tribunal which shall come up with a decision on the matter. During the period when Sierra Leone was a one party state, there were many occurrences of banishments. At present, there are no cases of banishment at the state level. This is only done in the provinces where people are sometimes banished from the sacred areas of Secret Societies but the occurrence of this is very minimal and not done in accordance with the laws of the land.

80.Sierra Leone does grant political asylum to deserving foreign nationals.

Article 14

81.The Covenant affords judicial remedies which play a central role in human rights: series of rights relating to the fair administration of justice both in criminal and civil cases which are the minimum guarantees which is available in any instance.

82.Article 14 of the Covenant is implemented by section 23 (1, 2, 3) of the Constitution which provides for fair trial within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law and must be public. in the case of a criminal trial the rules applicable in the enforcement of this right is the Criminal Procedure Act 1965 which states the hierarchy of the Courts and their jurisdiction and the manner in which any trial/preliminary investigation are to be carried out. The High Court Rules provide a guide as to how matters in civil cases are to be handled affording the opportunity of service, appearance and defence; in any case it offers a level playing field for civil matters which is fair, independent and impartial.

83.Section 23 (4) closely implements article 14 (2). The law is firm on this by leaving the burden of proof on the prosecution as it is only right that he who asserts must prove. However, the burden may shift but the fact remains that the practice of criminal law in the state is that envisaged under the ICCPR.

84.Section 23 (5) also closely implements article 14 (3). The guarantee under this section equips it with the same protection under the Covenant and makes all other enactments that will be contrary to it, invalid.

85.Article 14(4) which addresses juvenile justice is guided by the Children and Young Person’s Act of 1945 CAP 44; this governs the treatment of juveniles in conflict with the law. CAP 44 applies to anyone below the age of 17, anyone who is 17 years or above is treated, for the purposes of criminal law, as an adult. Those who are 16 years and below fall into two categories, that of ‘child’ and ‘young person’; a ‘child’ is anyone aged under 14 years whilst a ‘young person’ is aged 14 years and above but below 17 years. However, although capital punishment still exists in Sierra Leone, section 216 of the Criminal Procedure Act prohibits the imposition of the death penalty on anyone who commits a crime whilst below the age of 18 years. This provision is in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However section 216 of the CPA does not prohibit the imposition of life imprisonment on a juvenile, a sentence which is prohibited for juvenile offenders by the Convention. Instead, it specifies that the juvenile should be confined to a chosen place as may be directed by the president and for a stated period of time until a juvenile’s reformation and transformation is guaranteed. This time period, however, is highly unlikely to amount to life imprisonment.

86.Sierra Leone had set the age of criminal responsibility at 10 years because it was thought that a child of that age was able to understand the difference between lies and the truth. Although the Convention on the Rights of the Child states only that a State must establish a “minimum age below which children shall be presumed not to have the capacity to infringe the penal law”, in its concluding observations the Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed its concern at the low age of criminal responsibility. The Committee recommended that the State review the relevant legislation and raised the age of criminal responsibility. The Sierra Leone delegation agreed that the age of criminal responsibility was too low and said that the issue would certainly be taken into consideration when future legislation was drafted.

87.The functioning and composition of the juvenile court is governed by CAP44 - Part II s.3 (1). The court is presided over by one Magistrate and two Justices of the Peace who assist the Magistrate in making his decision. The Justices of the Peace are not qualified judges but are appointed from outside the judiciary by the President, on the recommendation of the Attorney General. They should have some experience in child psychology or sociology. On our visit to the juvenile court one of the Justices of Peace was a retired Minister of Welfare. CAP 44 provides that the court sit in a separate building or room from where ordinary trials take place. (s3 (1))The trial is also to be held in a closed session and the privacy of the juvenile maintained (s3 (5)). However the press are allowed to attend but are not permitted to publish any information that would be likely to lead to the identification of the young person or child. (s3 (5))

88.The Constitution establishes the Courts, which shall be independent and impartial tribunals entrusted with the responsibility of dispensing justice. In addition, it recognizes the existence of other courts established by law such as the local courts and the court martial. The existence of all these courts provides individuals the opportunity to not only have cases heard, but that such hearings should be done by independent and impartial tribunals. One major challenge that Sierra Leone is faced with however is the proliferation of “Courts” under the purview of Paramount Chiefs and other Chiefs. These Chiefs are known to adjudicate on matters that fall outside their jurisdiction and do not always take human rights standards into consideration when doing so. The Local Courts presided over by Court Chairmen have also been accused of giving unfair judgements. The 2011 Local Courts Act addresses a number of the issues previously raised against the operations of Local Courts whilst reforms are underway with Paramount Chiefs and other traditional rulers in terms of their mediation and dispute resolution processes. .

89.Where an individual whose cause has been heard by the courts is not satisfied with his judgment, his case will be reheard as of right on appeal by the court immediately above the previous court. The Constitution establishes a hierarchy of courts which makes provision for appeals to be heard by each court from the court immediately below it. There has always been an appeal structure that allows persons unhappy with judgements passed in Local Courts to take their appeal through the formal structures right to the Supreme Court. With the passage of the 2011 Local Courts Act that amongst others brings the Local Courts under the Judiciary, this will make the appeal process easier and even more accessible.

90.The Constitution protects Judges from removal from office except if the reason for such removal is incompetence or gross misconduct. As such, judges have a secure tenure. In line with guaranteeing the independence of the Judiciary a number of development partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Peace building Fund (UNPBF) and the Justice Sector Development Programme (JSDP) have supported reforms within the Judiciary including salary reviews for Magistrates and Judges and also logistical support like vehicles, computers etc. A proposal was made to the Government of Sierra Leone to enhance the terms and conditions of Magistrates and Judges and this was approved and came into effect for Judges towards the end of 2011.There are still not enough personnel on the Bench however as even with increased emoluments; private practice is still much more attractive to Lawyers. There is still need for additional Magistrates and Judges therefore especially considering the number of cases in the courts, to prevent delays in justice.

91.Court Martial which handles matters relating to the misconduct of officers of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) is in existence in Sierra Leone. This tribunal is governed by its rules and procedures.In the past, no appeal was heard from any court martial and so whatever decision was arrived at was final. This gave room for miscarriage of justice and the execution of many officers of the armed forces. In 1998, A Court Martial was held in Sierra Leone which led to the conviction and execution of twenty four (24) officers for the crime of treason. This trial and the subsequent executions were greatly criticised both at home and abroad for the fact that these officers were not given the opportunity to appeal on the decision of the court martial and so justice was not fully dispensed of. This created the need for the rules and procedures to be revisited and reformed. Today, Sierra Leone can proudly say that this situation has been addressed and an appeal can now lie from a court martial decision.

92.There are written procedural guarantees for the hearing of matters in the Magistrate Courts, the High Courts, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Court Martial’s. The Local Courts as well have their procedures in accordance with their customs and traditions. Although all these procedural guarantees are in place, the reality is that the procedures are not always strictly followed. Thus there are frequent adjournments of cases which greatly affect the dispensation of justice.

93.In addition to the provision for tribunals to guarantee an individual’s right to have his course heard, the constitution, makes provision for an individual to be entitled to legal aid. There was a Pilot National Legal Aid Scheme (PNLA) in Freetown piloted by the JSDP with support from DFID. Although this pilot came to an end in May 2012, one of its key successes was the passage into law of the Legal Aid Act 2012.In addition, it was able to finish approximately five thousand (5000) matters during its two and a half year span. There are also other organisations which provide legal aid and paralegal services such as Legal Assistance through Women Yearning for Equality, Rights and Social Justice (LAWYERS), Timap for Justice and the Open Society Justice Initiative. Legal aid and paralegal services done by theseorganisations do extend to the provinces but this is not sufficient to cater for the needs of the large impoverished number of potential clients.However, one of the provisions in the Legal Aid Act 2012 is that there should bea paralegal representative in every Chiefdom.

Article 15

Implementation

94.The Covenant through this article seeks to protect the retroactive effect of the criminal law.

95.Section 23 (7) of the Constitution protects individuals from ex post facto laws. This is a highly debatable area as a case involving drug trafficking in 2008 was questioned by the defence lawyers; they claimed that the crime charged was not a crime at commission. However, being part of The International Community and a party to the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 it could not be argued conclusively that the laws enacted where in fact retroactive as ratification had been done before then.

Article 17

96.The Covenant affords protection which is adequately implemented in section 22. Giving equilibrium to this protection is section 25 which not only assures one of the protection but observes that this can be derogated from with consent or following section 25 (2).

Article 18

97.Section 24 of the Constitution provides for the freedom of conscience and the free practice of religion except where such practice is not in the interest of public safety, public morality, public order or public health or to protect a religion from the unsolicited intervention of the members of any other religion.

98.Sierra Leone is one of very few nations blessed with religious tolerance and stability. It is a secular State and as such, there is in existence various religions including Christianity, Islam, African Traditional Religion, etc. All Christian and Moslem religious holidays are observed.

99.Any religion can establish a place of worship. However, before worship commences, the place of worship be it a church, mosque or temple must undergo registration with the Ministry of Social Welfare. There has not been any case where any religious group has been deregistered.

100.Although Sierra Leone is known for religious tolerance, there were, very recently, very serious clashes between Christians and Muslims in some parts of the country. These clashes took place in one village called Mambolo in the Northern part of the Country and in Calaba town in the Western Area. This situation was however quickly resolved by public officers and the Interreligious Council, a council which comprises of representatives of all religions recognized and practiced in Sierra Leone which has the duty among others, of ensuring that there is religious tolerance in the country.

Article 19

101.The Constitution provides for freedom of association in section 25, and the Government generally respects this in practice. The key element in the enjoyment of these rights is consent and a respect of the responsibility attached with exercising the same.

102. The Government of Sierra Leone has enacted the Independent Media Commission (IMC) through an Act of Parliament to ensure objectivity and the protection of the media in its representation of the facts.

103.The government has created the first independent public service broadcaster in Africa with the support of the United Nations through an enacting legislation: The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation Act, 2009 [No. 1 of 2010]. The government has also tabled a Freedom of Information Bill in Parliament and it is hoped that this Bill is enacted before the end of this current Parliaments life time.

Article 21

104.This right is guaranteed by section 26 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone which provides that it can be restricted where it is reasonably required in the interest of public safety and public order, public morality, the provision for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community or for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons.

105.The Public Order Act of 1965 also makes provision for the restriction of assembly in certain cases in line with the claw back clauses in the constitution.

106.People are free to assemble including to form political parties and to hold meetings. This right is re-established by the Political Parties Registration Act. Political parties, like all other organizations and associations, need permission to hold public meetings. Restrictions on holding such meetings can only be placed in the interest of public safety and directions to prevent this will be given by the police. In Sierra Leone, if a demonstration or procession for example is to be held, permission will have to be sought from the police for clearance, directions and protection.

107.Very recently, another violent demonstration broke out in the Tonkolili District. Indigenes of the land who were not satisfied with the conditions under which the African Minerals (a mining company operating in the area) operated held a demonstrated. For this matter, investigations are currently ongoing.

Article 22

108.The principal law guaranteeing the right to freedom of association is Section 26(1) of the Constitution. This right includes the right to assemble freely and associate with others and to belong to any political party, trade union or economic, social or professional associations, national or international for the protection of his interest. In addition to the restriction of the right in the interest of public safety, public health and public morality, the constitution further provides that where any law makes provision which imposes restrictions on the establishment of political parties, or regulates the organization, registration and functioning of political parties and the conduct of its members, such provision shall not be held to be inconsistent with section 26.

109.In Sierra Leone, for an association/organization to be legally recognized, it must be registered with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development if they are a Non-governmental organization and with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs for other types of associations/organizations Depending on the nature of the work that the organization intends to carry out, it may need to register with the relevant Ministry e.g. an educational organization would need to also register with the Ministry of Education. The registration process is fair and open to all as long as the operation of the organization/association is not contrary to law. The Independent Media Commission regulates the formation and registration of media institutions. In the case of political parties, registration must be done with the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) in line with part III of the Political Parties Registration Act of 2002.

110.Although it is a fact that there is freedom of association, this freedom is restricted in certain instances and as such certain control measures are put in place by public authorities over the activities of these associations in the interest of the safety and morality of the general public. For example, the registration of associations or organizations such as cults is not permitted by the Ministry of Social Welfare. The Police have in place restrictive measures to regulate meetings, thanksgivings, rallies etc. to prevent chaos in the interest of public safety and public peace.

111.For political parties, the laws governing their establishment, registration regulation and conduct pursuant to section 33 and 34 of the Constitution, are enshrined in the Political Parties Registration Act No. 3 of 2003.

112.In addition, the Constitution protects the right to belong to a political party. Before the Act No6 of 1991, Sierra Leone was a one party state. Under this system of government, only one party, the All People’s Congress (APC) then, was in operation. In 1991, the enactment of the 1991 constitution gave access to democracy. Following the 1991 Constitution, there was a proposed multi party election which did not hold as a result of a military coup by the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC). During the period of preparing for the multi party elections, in 1996, various political parties (totalling 23) were formed. The elections were disrupted by the military coup. In 1996, multi party elections were held and Sierra Leone returned to democracy. At current, there are in existence 26 political parties. The main parties in Sierra Leone however are the Sierra Leone Peoples party (SLPP), the All Peoples Congress (APC), the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). There are no prohibited political parties unless they do not conform to the provisions of the PPRC Act. In addition to control of the activities of political parties by the PPRC, there is state control on their activities through the President’s office, a code of conduct (2003) for the operation of political parties and the electoral laws of 2002. Amidst concerns that the PPRC has “no teeth” the PPRC Act of 2003 has been reviewed to become a more robust instrument and this revised Act has gone through Cabinet. It is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the shortest possible time.

113.The ten year civil war in Sierra Leone brought the emergence of several human rights organizations most of which are Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). There is an Association of Non Governmental Organizations (SLANGO) which regulates the activities of these NGOs. On its part, the Government established the National Commission for Democracy and Human Rights (NCDHR) in 1994, which prepared people for the democratization process and also, looked into various human rights issues.

114.In 1991, the Lome Peace agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and the RUF called for the formation of a Human Rights Commission. This was restated in the Truth Reconciliation Commission recommendations of Sierra Leone. At present, Sierra Leone has in operation a Human Rights Commission, established by the Human Rights Commission Act of 2004. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009 signed a Memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Integrated Peace Building Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) for the establishment of a Human Rights Secretariat for the discharge of all legal and other obligations relating to human rights owed by Sierra Leone either internationally or regionally.

115.In addition, the right of individuals to form trade unions for the protection of their rights and interests is allowed. There are in existence active trade unions which protect the welfare of their workers such as the Sierra Leone Teachers Union, The Miners Union, the Drivers Union and others. All Trade Unions come under the umbrella of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress.

116.To protect this right, there are laws which regulate the formation of these unions. These include the Trade Union Act of 1962, the Regulations of wages and industrial relations Act of 1991, and the Trade Union Dispute Act of 1964. Such trade unions are relatively large in size and membership, with the following organizational structure: President – Executive – members.

117.To ensure the free exercise of trade union rights and to implement the laws relating to trade unions, the Industrial Court has been established. Sierra Leone as a member of the International Labour Organization has also adopted practical measures in protecting the rights and existence of labour unions.

Article 23

118.The constitution of Sierra Leone in section 13(h) recognizes the existence of a family. In addition, section 8 (3) (f) provides for the protection, care and welfare of the aged, young and disabled, and for the protection against discrimination on account of sex in terms of employment.

119.The Child Rights Act 2007 makes provision for the protection of the family as a whole, and the child in particular. The Children and Young Persons Act, provides for the security of children and young person’s against offences such as rape, indecent assault and forced labour.

120.Further, the National Health Maternity Protection Strategic Plan protects the health of pregnant women and children aged five and under. In addition, the Free Medical Heath Program caters for maternity protection. As such, women cannot be discriminated against due to maternity reasons. The Customary Marriage and Divorce Act 2007 protects persons entering into customary marriage from forced marriages in line with traditional customs and practices. In general, marriage under whatever law, be it under the Christian Marriage Act, the Muslim Law or Civil Law, is entered into by two adults ( aged 18 yrs. and over).

121.In addition, Sierra Leone has taken certain measures to protect women in many areas including ensuring that women are sent on paid leave or leave with social security benefits and guarantees against dismissal for working mothers, irrespective of their marital status during a reasonable period before and after childbirth. There is currently a Matrimonial Cause’s Bill, which has protective measures for women against all forms of discrimination. In addition, there is an affirmative action gender policy which protects and promotes the rights of women. In addition, a large number of women’s groups in Sierra Leone participated in the development of the HIV strategy and have spearheaded the campaign for a 30 per cent quota representation of women at decision making levels in line with the TRC recommendations. In addition, the HIV AIDS Act is currently under review to protect women infected with the virus in particular against all forms of discrimination.

122.However, despite the tremendous strides taken including the signing and ratification of CEDAW, the provisions of CEDAW have not been fully domesticated and as such, vital provisions which protect women are still not in use in Sierra Leone. .

Article 24 

123.In 2007, Sierra Leone domesticated the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the outcome was the Child Rights Act No. 7 of 2007 This Act embodies the protection envisaged under the ICCPR and the CRC. It has been used to enhance the rights of children and rescue laws that have become weak in some respects e.g. Children and Young Persons Act Cap 44.

Article 25 

124.Chapter IV of the Constitution acknowledges the representation of the people. It assures the people of registration of voters, an Electoral Commission, a Political Parties Registration Commission, secret ballot, referendum, constituencies and elections. This has been upheld for as far as democracy has been upheld.

125.The Constitution in section 23 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the law. It denotes that all persons charged with a criminal offence shall be tried by an impartial and competent court, and shall be permitted to defend himself in person or by a legal practitioner of his choice. In addition, a person so charged shall be afforded facilities to examine witnesses called to testify before a competent tribunal on his behalf, be permitted to have an interpreter if he cannot understand the language of the tribunal and shall be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence. Furthermore, such person shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty.

126.Other complementary legislations to the Constitution for the guarantee of equality before the law and by the law are what has been famously labelled“the Gender Laws” (including the Devolution of Estate Act, the Customary Marriage and Divorce Act and the Domestic Violence Act.), the Chieftaincy Act 2009 and the Disability Act, make provisions for security of equal protection of the Law.

127.Theoretically, the Constitution affords a guarantee for the enjoyment of this right; this is not always the case in practice. This is not a misnomer on the part of the law makers. Customs and tradition tends to give the effect of the Constitutional guarantee as a misnomer due to the fact that they provide inroads for discrimination and unequal protection of the law especially against women.

128.In practice for example, a large number of sensitive cases in traditional settings are heard in the Poro Bush. The Poro Society is a male secret society and as such women and non members do not have any form of access to the Poro Bush. These cases are therefore deliberated upon in their absence and in most cases, not in their favour.

129.The recently enacted Devolution of Estate Act 2007 itself contains discriminatory provisions against illegitimate children. For the purposes of the Act, Section 2 of the Act defines a child as one who is born to the deceased and his lawful spouse or one born out of marriage while the deceased was married but recognised by both the deceased and his spouse, or child born to the deceased while he was unmarried and recognised by the deceased as his child. As such, an illegitimate child born while the deceased and his spouse were married but not recognised by both as the child of the deceased cannot claim under the Act.Also, as a matter of customary practice, illegitimate children cannot contest in any chieftaincy election. Section 8(a) of the Chieftaincy Act provides that a person can only be qualified for the chieftaincy title when he is born in wedlock to a rightful claimant or where tradition specifies, has direct maternal or paternal lineage to the rightful claimant.

130.Another area of concern is, although the Constitution of Sierra Leone makes provision for the access to witnesses, it does not make provision for the protection such witnesses. This in effect affects the rights to equal protection of the law of individuals.

IIIConclusion

131.In researching and consulting for the production of this report several achievements, challenges and constraints were encountered. This report has very accurately captured the structures of the implementation of the ICCPR. A lot of credit must be given to the Constitution of Sierra Leone which has safeguarded the rights postulated in the Covenant. As a State party, Sierra Leone will endeavour to discharge all its obligations under the Covenant, and when called upon by the Committee.

Annexes

I. Status of Sierra Leone in the International Labour Organization Convention table

CONVENTION	RATIFICATION	STATUS
C5 Minimum Age (Industry) Convention, 1919 15:06:1961 denounced on 10:06:2011	15:06:1961	denounced on 10:06:2011
C7 Minimum Age (Sea) Convention, 1920	15:06:1961	denounced on 10:06:2011
C8 Unemployment Indemnity (Shipwreck) Convention, 1920	15:06:1961	Ratified
C15 Minimum Age (Trimmers and Stokers) Convention, 1921	13:06:1961	denounced on 10:06:2011
C16 Medical Examination of Young Persons (Sea) Convention, 1921	13:06:1961	Ratified
C17 Workmen's Compensation (Accidents) Convention, 1925	13:06:1961	Ratified
C19 Equality of Treatment (Accident Compensation) Convention, 1925	13:06:1961	Ratified
C22 Seamen's Articles of Agreement Convention, 1926	15:06:1961	Ratified
C29 Forced Labour Convention, 1930	13:06:1961	Ratified
C32 Protection against Accidents (Dockers) Convention (Revised), 1932	15:06:1961	Ratified
C32 Protection against Accidents (Dockers) Convention (Revised), 1932	15:06:1961	Ratified
C50 Recruiting of Indigenous Workers Convention, 1936	13:06:1961	Ratified
C58 Minimum Age (Sea) Convention (Revised), 1936	13:06:1961	denounced on 10:06:2011
C65 Penal Sanctions (Indigenous Workers) Convention, 1939	13:06:1961	Ratified
C81 Labour Inspection Convention, 1947	13:06:1961	Ratified
C86 Contracts of Employment (Indigenous Workers) Convention, 1947	13:06:1961	Ratified
C87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948	15:06:1961	Ratified
C88 Employment Service Convention, 1948	15:06:1961	Ratified
C94 Labour Clauses (Public Contracts) Convention, 1949	15:06:1961	ratified
C95 Protection of Wages Convention, 1949	15:06:1961	Ratified
C98 Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949	13:06:1961	Ratified
C99 Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery (Agriculture) Convention, 1951	13:06:1961	Ratified
C100 Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951	15:11:1968	Ratified
C101 Holidays with Pay (Agriculture) Convention, 1952	15:06:1961	Ratified
C105 Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957	13:06:1961	Ratified
C111 Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958	14:10:1966	Ratified
C119 Guarding of Machinery Convention, 1963	21:04:1964	Ratified
C125 Fishermen's Competency Certificates Convention, 1966	06:11:1967	Ratified
C126 Accommodation of Crews (Fishermen) Convention, 1966	06:11:1967	Ratified
C138 Minimum Age Convention, 1973	10:06:2011	Ratified
C144 Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976	21:01:1985	Ratified
C182 Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999	10:06:2011	Ratified

II. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/1965-32.pdf: The Criminal Procedure Act

III. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/constitution1991.pdf: The Constitution of Sierra Leone

IV. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/High%20Court%20Rules.pdf: The High Court Rules

V. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2007-21p.pdf: Devolution of Estates Act

VI. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2007-20p.pdf: Domestic Violence Act

VII. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2007-19p.pdf: Independent Media Commission Act

VIII. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2007-7p.pdf: Child Rights Act

IX. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2009-12.pdf: Mines and Minerals Act

X. - http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2009-10.pdf: Chieftaincy Act

XI. National Minerals Agency Act 2012