28 July 2012

East Timor Legal News 26 July 2012

UPF holds meeting with Indoensian Army officers to strengthen cooperation Radio Timor-Leste, July 26, 2012 - Timor-Leste Border Police (UPF) officers have held a meeting with Indonesian Armey officers to strengthen cooperation at the border.

RTL journalist Julio da Costa reported that the meeting was about how to strengthen cooperation and unity between UPF and TNI to guarantee security and stability at the border area.

According to the UPF officers, such meetings are necessary as Indonesian army officers at the border are substituted every six months; therefore both sides need follow up information regarding security issues.
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Timor-Leste does not need UNMIT: Nielsen Timor Post, July 26, 2012 - The UN Secretary-General Special Representative to Timor-Leste, Finn Rieske Nielsen, has acknowledged that Timor-Leste doed not need UNMIT to provide security because it was now able to be responsible for security itself.

He said even though after the presidential and parliamentary elections there were some problems and violence, order was restored quickly, therefore, there were no concerns about national security.

"This success shows that Timor-Leste has peace and stability, therefore, I guarantee that in the future, the situation in Timor-Leste will remain calm meaning that Timor-Leste does not need UNMIT anymore to guarantee security," he said

Mr. Nielsen also expressed congratulations for the success of the presidential and parliamentary elections which were successful and transparent and conducted in an atmosphere of calm.
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State Secretary for Defence calls on Defence Force to show discipline Diario Nacional, July 26, 2012 - State Secretary for Defence Julio Thomas Pinto has called on the Timorese Defence Force (F-FDTL) officers to be disciplined in carrying out their work.

Mr. Pinto made the comments during his farewell ceremony at the F-FDTL training center yesterday in Metinaro in Dili.He said that F-FDTL soldiers who violated the defence force's internal regulation would be sanctioned or be sacked.

"For the military force, discipline is like the soul; if any soldiers are not disciplined; they might be said to die," he said.

The F-FDTL and SED are planning to remove the defence force training center to another place as the center will be used as the headquarters of the "CSA".
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JSMP calls for investigation into Armindo Pereira Alves' death Diario Nacional, July 26, 2012- The Director of the Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP), Luis Olieveira Sampaio, has called on the competent institutions to conduct an investigation into the death of Armindo Pereira Alves in the recent violence in the capital Dili following the broadcast of the CNRT congress that rejected Fretilin's proposal to form a government of national unity.

Mr. Sampaio said JSMP, as part of civil society, strongly condemned the police officers who had shot dead Alves in Hera.

He affirmed that there were three police officers accused of shooting dead Alves, but a thorough investigation into the case had to be held.

JSMP also congratulated the National Police Commander on his decision to suspend the three police officers.

Sampaio called on the Public Prosecution to directly investigate the case according to the Penal Code Process Article 48.

 See further:

Police Officer Accused of Killing Student Suspended

 Police officer who shot dead Armindo Pereira Alves suspended
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UN continues investigating serious crimes committed in the past Suara Timor Loro Sae, July 26, 2012 - The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative to Timor-Leste, Finn Rieske Nielsen, said the UN would continue conducting investigations into serious crimes committed in the past.

Mr. Nielsen said although the UN would leave the country in December this year, a small organisation would be here to investigate serious crime committed in the past.Nielsen made the comments during a meeting with Forum of NGOs [FONGTIL] and its members yesterday, while discussing security issues in the country.

"We are hoping and thinking that there would be an investigation team to continue working here after the peace keeping mission," he said.
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Preparations for new government, PNTL on alert Suara Timor Loro Sae, July 26, 2012-In relation to the establishment of the new government, the National Police (PNTL) is now on alert, Deputy Commander of PNTL, Commissioner Afonso de Jesus said.

Because of the situation, PNTL has been on alert since last night to control the security situation in the country, he said.

"Starting from today our police officers will not return home but will continue to do their patrols," he said.
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SIC yet to investigate prostitutes Independente July 26, 2012-The Timorese National Police (PNTL) for Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) Commander, Superintendent Calistro Gonzaga, said the SIC had not yet held an investigation into the prostitutes who were recently arrested near the presidential palace in Dili.

"We will identify them before deporting them back home but there is no concrete evidences to accuse them of being prostitutes," Gonzaga said.

Director for Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP), Luis Oliveira Sampaio, said according to the Penal Code, there is no law banning men and women from engaging in prostitution.

See also on the East Timor Law Journal the following articles on prostitution in East Timor:

ROCCIPI Analysis of the Social Problem of Prostitution in East Timor

Morality, Religion & the Law: Abortion & Prosititution in East Timor
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UNPOL supports PNTL to provide security Suara Timor Lorosae July 26, 2012 -The UN Police has promised to continue supporting the  Timorese National Police (PNTL) to guarantee peace and stability in the country.

The UN Police Commander, Commissioner Luis Carilho said the UN Police continued to support PNTL to ensure the security and stability in the country.

"The presence of UNPol in Timor-Leste should give its contribution to strengthen the peace and stability," Carilho said.

Deputy Commander of PNTL, Commissioner Afonso de Jesus, said the presence of the UN Police in the country was to strengthen peace and stability and help support PNTL to provide the security for the people in the country.
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Fernando La-Sama De Araujo
La-Sama denies rumors of becoming Deputy PM Timor Post, July 26, 2012 - The Democratic Party (PD) president, Fernando La-Sama De Araujo, has denied the widespread rumours that he is to be appointed as the deputy prime minister of the country.

"That information is invented, we have not yet made decision, but suddenly it has already appeared in the newspaper," La-Sama said.

He called on all the national media outlets to publish factual and accurate news stories to the public.

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