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Baucau District Court Judge Assaulted

(Timor Post, Front Page headline)

Two members of the judiciary were assaulted in Baucau on Monday evening by youths on a motorcycle. The injured were the Deputy Head of the Baucau District Court Pedro de Olivera and Baucau Prosecutor Basilio Sequira.

In a press conference yesterday, both Pedro and Basilio said they were about to go back home after work in a UN vehicle when two youths on a motorcycle blocked their way. The UN Tata-Sumo then stopped, in the middle of the road, and the two unidentified youths asked whether they could load on their motorcycle into the vehicle. Both Pedro and Basilio refused. Then the youths got violent. One of them tried to take the ignition keys of the UN vehicle but Judge Pedro tried to stop him. The youths then set upon the two judiciary officers. One of them punched Pedro in the face. Then the UN vehicle was stoned.

At the press conference, both Pedro and Basilio said threats have frequently been made on officers of the Baucau District Court. These threats had been reported to Civpol, but they said no action to date had been taken.