Charles Taylor
Full Name
Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor
Date of Birth
January 28, 1948
Place of Birth
Date of Death
Not available
Place of Death
Not available
Education
- Attended Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts, where he earned a degree in economics
Spouses Names
- Victoria Addison-Taylor (details not provided)
- Jewel (Howard) Taylor (m. 1997; div. 2006)
Children Names
- At least one child with Victoria Addison-Taylor; reported to have several other children
Parents Names
- Father: Nelson Taylor
- Mother: Zoe Taylor
Charles Taylor is a former Liberian politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 22nd President of Liberia from 1997 until his resignation in 2003. Taylor’s rise to power began with his leadership of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), a rebel group that initiated the First Liberian Civil War in 1989. His presidency was marked by widespread corruption, human rights violations, and the continuation of civil conflict. Taylor’s government was accused of supporting rebel groups in neighboring Sierra Leone, contributing to the Sierra Leone Civil War. He was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for his role in war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2003, facing a rebellion at home and international pressure, Taylor resigned and went into exile in Nigeria. In 2006, Taylor was arrested and transferred to The Hague to stand trial. In 2012, he was found guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes and sentenced to 50 years in prison. His conviction was upheld on appeal in 2013. Taylor’s trial and conviction were significant for international justice, marking the first time since the Nuremberg trials that a former head of state was convicted by an international tribunal for war crimes