24 April 2010

Chief Judge calls on President not to hurry to pardon Salsinha

Timor Post 22/04/2010 language source: Tetun - The Timorese Appellate Court President, Claudio Ximenes, has called on President JoseRamos Horta not to hurry to grant a pardon to ex-rebel leader Gastao Salsinha and his men as their case still in legal process.

“President Horta should wait for final decision of the court though he has absolute power to give pardons,” Ximenes said.

 He added, “I know that the legal process in the case of Salsinha and his men case is still going on.”

Ximenes said that the Appellate Court had not made any decision about this case therefore he said President Horta’s plan to give pardons to Salsinha and his men will not be realised on May 20th.

Meanwhile, MP Fernanda Borges from the National Unity Party (PUN) has said that it was possible for President Horta to grant pardons to prisonesr when the legal process has ended.

“President Horta has absolute power to give pardons to Salsinha and his men, but it should not happen while their case still being processed,” MP Borges said.

According to Public Defender Sergio Hornay, President Horta’s plan to give pardons to Salsinha and his men will not affect on the country’s judicial system.

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