Timor-Leste Legal News 5 years ago

ETLJB 02 June 2013 - Today, ETLJB looks back at this date 5 years ago in East Timor and republishes the leading legal news stories from that day. The following have been taken from the East Timor Legal News Archive 2006-2008. The burning issue of the times was the pardon for the former Fretilin government Interior Minister, Rogerio Lobato, following his conviction for his role in the illegal weapons distribution during the 2006 crisis in East Timor. This year, his neice, who was the Justice Minister at the time of Rogerio Lobato's pardon, is herself in jail convicted of corruption crimes and is also seeking medical treatment abroad just as her uncle did when he was in prison. It will be interesting to see if Lucia is also eventually pardoned for her crimes in the same way that Rogerio was.

Ramos-Horta: judges to decide Rogerio's sentence – Timor Post and Diario Nacional President José Ramos-Horta said that it is the judge's responsibility to decide whether prisoner Rogerio Tiago Lobato will continue to fulfil his sentence in Becora Prison. PR Horta said that before granting pardons to the prisoners, including former Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato, he had informed the judges. He added that he didn't know how long the sentence of Rogerio would be reduced. "I do not know until now. The judges will make the decision over whether his time in Malaysia will be included or not. If not, then he should go to Becora Prison to fulfil his sentence as required," said PR Horta. PR Horta furthermore said the he welcomed criticisms over his decision to pardon the prisoners. "I welcome the critics when we make a decision like this. This is the President's burden. I did what my conscience dictated," PR Horta added.

Lu-Olo: Rogerio deserves to be pardoned – Diario Nacional Fretilin President Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo said that former Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato deserves to be pardoned. "Rogerio deserves to be pardoned. PR Horta pardoned Rogerio not because they are friends or because his family died during the war, but because of his good attitude during his detention in Becora Prison," said Mr Lu-Olo. Answering the National Parliament's concerns that the pardon to Rogerio will create a culture of impunity, Mr. Lu-Olo said that the pardon will not create impunity as it is a normal process based on the Constitution of the nation.

Pardon to Rogerio: creating a culture of impunity culture – Suara Timor Lorosae The Director of the Commission of Peace and Justice of Dili Diocese, Fr. Cyrus V. Banque, said that a pardon for a big criminal like for Rogerio Tiago Lobato creates a culture of impunity and kills justice in this nation. "We feel that President Horta's pardon is against the good interests of many people…Even though he [Lobato] received a sentence, he diid not fulfil it…" said Fr. Banque on Saturday (31/5) in the Dili Cathedral. According to Fr. Banque, the pardon was given the chance to be publicly debated, but was published immediately as a presidential decree. He further said that the pardon negatively impacts on people's rights and it could create an atmosphere where the Government loses its credibility. "As the church we demand justice to be granted through the proper legal channels so as to promote the interests of Timorese people," added Fr. Banque.

 F-FDTL/PNTL Command: ready to discharge their members involved in violence – Timor Post The General Commander of the F-FDTL Taur Matan Ruak said on 29/5 in Memorial Hall that the F-FDTL and PNTL institutions would tolerate officers or soldiers who displayed bad attitudes against the communities. He also said such officers/soldiers would be dismissed. "As a democratic state, none of us is above the law. We are all under the rule of law, that is why our officers will not run away from the law", said the Commander.

ASDT bench in NP to have dialogue with Xavier – Timor Post ASDT members of the National Parliament have made efforts to conduct a dialogue with ASDT President Francisco Xavier do Amaral and ASDT Acting Secretary-General Francisco Gomes. ASDT's bench chief in the NP Jose Manuel Carrascalao said that there has been a small confrontation between the party [ASDT] and its MPs on decision making processes. "We do not want the confrontation getting any bigger, so we are finding a way to talk with the President," said Mr. Carrascalao.

 TL Government gives opportunity to telecommunication operators – Timor Post The Minister of Finance Emilia Pires said that in order to reduce the price of Timor Telecom (TT) and to create competition, the Government is providing opportunities to new telecommunication operators. Minister Pires said that to establish the new telecommunication in Timor-Leste, the Government has to remove the existed monopoly. The Minister also said that the Government announced the resolution on the new telecommunication's policy to TT on 19 March 2008.

Source:  UNMIT Daily Media Review 02 June 2008. Archived by Warren L. Wright