The implementation of mobile courts in rural areas has made significant progress, particularly in sensitive cases which have now been closed to the public, according to the Executive Director of the Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP) Luis Oliveira Sampaio.
He said in the past cases were open to the public, but people would no longer be able to access trials involving sexual violence or children.
Judges of the Aileu mobile court have identified which cases can and cannot be accessed by public, he said.
In some cases the police office is sometimes used for trials, which can be confusing for local communities, Sampaio said.
“The public can think that police also can hold a trial, therefore we must explain first why it should be in the police office,” he said.
He said the grassroots mobile court system has continued to make significant progress, with 36 cases, including 6 cases in Lospalos administrative post and 30 cases in Bobonaro municipality, resolved.
Meanwhile, JSMP was not able to provide figures for the number of cases resolved in the mobile courts since 2015 as it had not yet completed its report.
Member of Commission A (Constitution, Justice, Public Administration, Local Authority, Anti-corruption Affairs) Member of Parliament MP Arao Noe said it was important that sensitive cases are closed to the public so that victims can feel comfortable when giving testimony.
“Sexual violation cannot be solved in front of many people,” said MP Noe.
He said the mobile court system was particularly important in rural areas as it gave communities access to formal justice.
