In East Timor: A Litmus Test for the Judicial System
Wednesday, March 14th, 2007Fairly or unfairly, the trial of former East Timorese Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato, is a litmus test for East Timor’s beleaguered judicial system. Indicted for misappropriation of public property, murder — and the unauthorized importation or use of firearms to disrupt public order — Mr. Lobato is the first senior government official to be tried in the aftermath of the violence in May 2006. This violence led to the government’s request for intervention by more than 3,000 security forces from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Portugal and subsequently to an expanded United Nations mission including 1,600 UN Police.
After much anticipation, the three-judge panel delivered the verdict to a packed courtroom on March 7, 2007. Mr. Lobato received a sentence of 7.5 years for arming civilian hit squads and for exceeding his authority. Due to heavy presence of UN Police outside the courthouse, pro- and anti-Lobato demonstrators remained calm, thus alleviating concern that the verdict would spark greater violence.
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