22 March 2010

Prosecutor General Ana Pessoa says Tetum already the language in prosecutions in the Courts

PGR Ana Pessoa: “Courts use Tetun to make accusation” Diario NacionĂ¡l, March 16, 2010 language source: Tetun - Timor-Leste’s Prosecutor General Ana Pessoa Pinto has said that courts in Timor-Leste are using Tetun when the Prosecution makes accusations.

“We use Tetun when we make an accusation to against an accused and international lawyers in the country are attending a three months Tetun course so that they are able to carry out their tasks in the country,” Ms. Pessoa said.

Ms. Pessoa also said that her office is working with the National Institute of Linguistics (INL) to train her staff to be competent in Tetun.

Timorese judicial actors are also required to attend both Portuguese and English language courses in order to be able to speak these languages.

The language in the courts has become a hotly debated issue after Major General Taur Matan Ruak made a call to end the use of Portuguese in domestic courts.

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