West Africa Justice Reporting Project

Since 2017 New Narratives has supported West African journalists to cover groundbreaking universal jurisdiction cases that have held accused perpetrators of crimes against humanity to account in Europe and North America. This important movement in international justice has allowed justice systems around the world to prosecute those who seek to hide out in their territory and avoid justice at home.

Journalists from Liberia, Gambia and Sierra Leone have travelled to the United States and Europe to cover trials of accused perpetrators for audiences across West Africa. They have also covered the quest for justice, reparation and reconciliation in all its forms, at home.

Hassan Bility, Liberian justice advocate.

“New Narratives, I expect and hope, should keep up the world and the Liberian people informed of developments every step of the way. I believe NN deserves a justice prize. Your journalism gave Liberians hope when no one believed there was a chance.”

Massa Washington, former commissioner with the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

”New Narratives has played a pivotal role in assisting Liberians to understand the importance of establishing a war crimes court and why holding alleged perpetrators accountable is good for Liberia’s stability, peace, security and growth. New Narratives is the “window” through which Liberians and the rest of the world are informed and educated about transitional justice processes concerning Liberia. Since its inception on the Liberian scene, New Narratives has established itself as Liberia’s premiere news outlet and authoritative source for accurate, timely and in-depth reporting and analysis on efforts to address issues of accountability for crimes committed during Liberia’s turbulent 14 years civil conflict and efforts aimed at ending impunity. Through the dedication, commitment and hardwork from project staff, New Narratives is playing a pivotal role in shaping the narrative in transitional justice reporting on Liberia. The consistency and quality of New Narratives’s coverage of events ensures that  Liberians are continuously equipped with appropriate, factual information to assist them understand what is happening which ultimately bolstered their courage to finally commit to establishing the Court.⁠ ⁠Continue to play the role you’re playing.”

The project has been funded by the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund and Australia Aid.


Trump Aid Cuts Bad News for The Gambia’s Hybrid Court 

By Yankuba Jallow, Justice correspondent In one of its first moves the Trump administration has frozen all government assistance programs across the world for 90 days. Though much remains unclear, the new administration has indicated most of those programs – funded by USAID and the State Department – will be shuttered. The Gambia is not…

Liberia: American War Crimes Investigator and Former Liberia Lobbyist Found Guilty of Defaming Justice Activist

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives A criminal court in Switzerland has found Alan White, an American war crimes investigator with a long history of involvement in Liberia’s politics, guilty of defaming Alain Werner, the head of Civitas Maxima, which has led efforts to bring prosecutions against more than a dozen perpetrators…

Liberia: More Than Three Quarters Liberians Approve War and Economic Crimes Courts in Latest Continental Survey

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives   More than three quarters of Liberians have openly backed a war and economic crimes court for their country, according to a new survey released this month by Afrobarometer, an Accra based Pan African non-profit research organization. The survey is a big jump in confidence of citizens for the…

Liberia: President Boakai Quiets Doubters with Renewed Mandate for War Crimes Court Office and $US2 Million Yearly Budget

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Joseph Boakai, Liberia’s President, has renewed the mandate of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court of Liberia and given the court a six fold increase in annual budget, quieting growing concern about the government’s commitment to the court after numerous funding delays. The president’s action will…

Liberia: Leading Human Rights Organizations Urge President to Renew Expiring Executive Order for War Crimes Court Office as US Ambassador Meets with Office Head and Justice Minister

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Leading local and international human rights organizations have joined together to issue a statement urging Liberian President Joseph Boakai to renew an executive order for the Office of War and Economics Crimes Court set to expire tomorrow, May 1. The groups, including the Liberian based Civil…

Liberia: Advocates Warn Trump Administration’s Plans to Shut Offices Devoted to Global Justice and Human Trafficking Will Be Big Blow to Liberian Victims

By Anthony Stephens, Senior Justice Correspondent with New Narratives Human rights advocates working on transitional justice and human trafficking in Liberia say they are shocked by this week’s announcement by Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, that the US government will shut down the Office of Global Criminal Justice and the Office to Monitor and Combat…

Liberia: Human Rights Commission Criticizes Government’s Lack of Financial Support to War Crimes Court Office

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives The Independent National Commission on Human Rights, Liberia’s independent human rights body, has condemned the government for what it calls “the snail pace of support” to the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court of Liberia.  The Commission issued its critique in a statement after Dr. Jallah Barbu, executive…

Liberia: War Crimes Court Office Head Concedes Office is Again Out of Funds as Disability and Women’s Groups Demand Reparations at Meeting with International Stakeholders

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MAMBA POINT, Monrovia – People living with disabilities and women’s rights groups took center stage at a meeting of stakeholders in Liberia’s transitional justice process on Friday. While stressing the importance of the country’s nascent war and economics court, the groups said the process needed to go beyond criminal…

Liberia: Civil Society Urges President Boakai to Extend Expiring Executive Order for War Crimes Court Office; Office Head Warns President Will be “Shooting Himself” If he Declines

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives Civil society organizations working on transitional justice in Liberia have urged President Joseph Boakai to extend his executive order establishing the Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts which expires May 1. Key mandates of the Office, including a roadmap for Liberia’s transitional justice process and a bill for…

Liberia: Government to Hold “Tough Conversations” with Partners After US Aid Cuts; Launches $US30 Million Project to Revamp County Service Centers, Digitize Government and Maximize Revenue

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives The Liberian government said it would hold “tough conversations” with the country’s international partners in April to explore ways to deal with the “shock” of the US aid cuts announced by the new Trump administration this month. The US is Liberia’s second largest donor after the World Bank. Most…

Liberia: Finnish Court Awards More Compensation to Sierra Leonean Warlord Acquitted of Charges for Crimes in Liberia

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives A Finnish court has additional compensation to Gibril Massaquoi, an ex-commander of Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF), acquitted in 2024 of charges that he committed egregious human rights violations in Liberia under the direction of then-president Charles Taylor. In 2024 the Pirkanmaa District Court in Finland ordered the country’s government…

Liberia: Head of War and Economic Crimes Courts Office Says Bill for Courts Will Be Ready “Very Soon” Urges Citizens to Pressure Lawmakers to Legislate Courts

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives CARTER CAMP, Liberia—Dr. Jallah Barbu, executive director of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts of Liberia, says a bill for the courts will be ready “very soon.” Dr. Barbu said that a technical committee comprising Liberian transitional justice experts, was “reenforcing the bill” drafted by a committee…

Liberia: War Crimes Court Advocates Say President Boakai Made a “Serious Mistake” by Appointing Accused War Profiteer to UN Post

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives Leading human rights advocates have condemned President Joseph Boakai’s decision to  commission Lewis Brown, a former national security adviser to Charles Taylor, as Liberia’s ambassador to the United Nations. Mr. Brown was recommended for prosecution by the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and could be one of those prosecuted…