Private lawyers have asked for the protection of the National Police of Timor-Leste, because sometimes when they take on serious cases they are intimidated or threatened by the accused.
This happened to lawyer Bendito dos Santos, a member of the Timor-Leste Private Lawyers Association, who was threatened while working on a serious crime case.
“I’ll just give the example of the Delta Nova case, which was a big case. I worked on it from the beginning and I felt good, but then after it left the court I was not treated well, people tried to ruin me and were calling me at home,” said dos Santos.
When this happened, he immediately called the UN Police for protection.
“At that time, I called the UNPOL High Commission and they gave me protection until the case finished,” said dos Santos.
He said if the government didn’t look into situations like this, in the future a lot of private lawyers wouldn’t take on serious cases.
“In other countries you’re harassed by phone and insulted in the court, but in Timor it’s different as they can also come to your home and attack you,” he said.
Meanwhile, Member of Commission A (for justice, public administration, local power and anti-corruption), MP Arão Noe de Jesus Amaral said the law guaranteed lawyers protection if they were threatened.
“When they’re working on some cases and feel insecure or are threatened, they can ask for protection from the police as the law permits this,” said MP Amaral.
