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War crimes judges on Tuesday ordered special security measures for fashion model Naomi Campbell when she testifies at the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, barring photographers from catching her entering or leaving the courtroom.

The judges say Campbell’s fears for her safety and privacy are legitimate because of her high profile and the intense media interest in her appearance.

In its ruling, the Special Court for Sierra Leone instructed authorities to ensure that no one photograph, video tape or even sketch Campbell in or around the courtroom.

Her testimony, however, will be recorded as usual by courtroom cameras.

She is due to appear Thursday, but judges have not yet decided on a motion submitted last week by Taylor’s lawyers to delay her appearance.

Measures to protect witnesses in war crimes cases are routine, especially when disclosure of their identity could subsequently endanger them or their families. Such witnesses testify under pseudonyms and with their images blurred in recordings of their testimony. But blocking the media from photographing a known witness is highly unusual.

The court did not go as far as Campbell had wanted. She had asked the judges for a gag order on all information “gleaned about her stay at the court” apart from her public testimony.

Campbell was summoned to testify about whether she received diamonds from Taylor after a celebrity-studded dinner in South Africa in 1997. Taylor is accused of trading in “blood diamonds” in exchange for helping rebel factions during the 11-year civil war in Sierra Leone. He has denied possessing such conflict diamonds.

The court granted Campbell’s request to have a lawyer present, but restricted the attorney’s intervention to protecting her from possible self-incrimination on the stand.

[size=20pt]UPDATE!!![/size]


Media interest gave “grounds for concern” about Ms Campbell’s security

Judges at The Hague have barred photographers from taking pictures of supermodel Naomi Campbell when she gives evidence at the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.

Ms Campbell, 40, is due to testify at the war crimes trial on Thursday.

The prosecution will ask her about allegations Mr Taylor gave her a rough “blood diamond” from Sierra Leone after a celebrity dinner in 1997.

She will also be allowed extra help from her lawyer during her testimony.

Her lawyers would be allowed to intervene in order to prevent her answering a question that might lead to her incriminating herself, the court ruled.
‘Concern’

Photographers will be prevented from taking pictures as she enters and exits the court during her testimony.
Charles Taylor
Continue reading the main story
President of Liberia from 1997 to 2003
Arrested in 2006 in Nigeria
At least 50,000 people killed and many mutilated in Sierra Leone’s civil war
Accused of arming rebels in neighbouring Sierra Leone in return for “blood diamonds”
Allegations include encouraging murder, rape, enslavement and cannibalism
Blog: Models, diamonds and Sierra Leone

A television feed of the court’s proceedings would be broadcast as usual, it was reported.

Measures to protect witnesses’ identities are usually granted at war crimes tribunals if there is a risk the witness, or their families, could be put in danger by their testimony.

In its ruling, the court said the intense media interest in the case gave “legitimate grounds for concern” for Ms Campbell’s security.

Mr Taylor is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity over his role in the 10-year civil war in Sierra Leone.

The prosecution says he gave arms to the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in return for diamonds from rebel-controlled mines.

Chief prosecutor Brenda Hollis on why Naomi Campbell is being called to the stand

He denies the charges and says he has never had anything to do with diamonds.

But the prosecution say that as the war continued in Sierra Leone, Ms Campbell and Mr Taylor were both guests at a reception hosted by South Africa’s then-President Nelson Mandela.

After the dinner, it is alleged, two of Mr Taylor’s men went to Ms Campbell’s hotel room and gave her a large uncut diamond