Mr. Ibrahim Tommy has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL). His appointment, approved by the organization’s Board of Directors, became effective May 23. He replaces Mr. Mohamed Suma, who resigned in May this year after serving the organization for five glorious years.
Mr. Ibrahim Tommy, Executive Director
Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law
“I am extremely excited at the prospect of working with the team of dedicated activists at the Center for Accountability and Rule of Law. I am proud of the organization’s achievements, but also humbled by the challenges that lie ahead of us,” Mr. Tommy told a news conference on June 1. The Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) which was established in 2004 initially as a Special Court for Sierra Leone Monitoring Group has evolved into an independent organization of civil society and human rights activists who are committed to promoting justice throughout the territory of Sierra Leone.
“Over the last six years, this organization has done a brilliant job of raising public awareness about the challenges confronting the justice system. While tremendous progress has been made, several challenges persist. We will continue to work with the Sierra Leone government and other partners in addressing these challenges,” Mr. Tommy added.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Tommy worked for the United States Embassy in Sierra Leone as the Media and Outreach Specialist. During the four years he spent at the embassy, Mr. Tommy contributed to producing the mission’s annual State of Human Rights report on Sierra Leone, and particularly focused on the aspects relating to media freedom. He also led efforts to train media and civil society groups in the country, and contributed immensely to increasing the embassy’s visibility in the country.
From 2003 to 2007, Mr. Tommy worked as a Senior Public Affairs Assistant at the UN backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. At the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Mr. Tommy provided immense assistance to the Court’s Public Affairs Section in developing public information materials relating to three trials before the Court as well as international human rights laws and international humanitarian law. Prior to joining the Court, he worked as an Associate Project Officer for the Peace Child Rescue Mission. He has also served as a consultant and researcher for a number of human rights organizations and initiatives, including the West Africa Transitional Justice (WATJ) Project.
Mr. Tommy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.
