War and Economic Crimes Court Bill Technical Review
Technical legal review of the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court Bill as Liberia advances consideration of specialised accountability legislation.
Where this project sits in the reform process
Current recorded stage: Legislative Consideration. The pathway above is an indicative public view of the reform cycle; individual projects may follow different sequences.
Overview
In June 2026, the Law Reform Commission participated in a high-level legal-legislative dialogue in Buchanan focused on technical review of the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court Bill. The engagement brought together lawmakers, legal experts, justice-sector stakeholders and the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia to examine the draft before further legislative consideration.
Project scope
- Area of law
- Criminal Justice
- Geographic scope
- National
- People affected
- Victims and survivors; justice-sector institutions; accused persons; civil society; legal professionals; communities affected by Liberia's civil conflicts
- Commenced
- 12 June 2026
- Public participation
- See published consultations and project updates
Issue, objectives and review questions
The issueWhy reform is being consideredThe proposed court requires a legally coherent statutory framework defining jurisdiction, institutional relationships, procedure, safeguards and…
The proposed court requires a legally coherent statutory framework defining jurisdiction, institutional relationships, procedure, safeguards and consistency with Liberia's Constitution and applicable international standards.
ObjectivesWhat the reform seeks to achieveSupport technically sound legislative drafting; identify legal gaps or conflicts; clarify jurisdiction and institutional relationships…
Support technically sound legislative drafting; identify legal gaps or conflicts; clarify jurisdiction and institutional relationships; strengthen procedural and due-process safeguards; and support a coherent accountability framework before enactment.
Key questionsQuestions guiding the reviewHow should the proposed court's jurisdiction and temporal scope be defined? What relationship should it have with existing courts and justice…
How should the proposed court's jurisdiction and temporal scope be defined? What relationship should it have with existing courts and justice institutions? What evidentiary, procedural and due-process safeguards are required? How should the legislation align with Liberia's Constitution and international obligations?
Project outcome
A high-level technical review was conducted in Buchanan in June 2026. The proposed legislation remains subject to the constitutional and legislative processes required before enactment.