SERIOUS CRIMES UNIT INFORMATION RELEASE
26 November 2003
SCU: INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION
SPECIAL PANEL SENTENCES FORMER LAKSAUR MILITIA MEMBER
TO 9 YEARS FOR CRIMESAGAINST HUMANITY IN APRIL 1999.
At 11.00 on 26 November 2003, Judges at the Special Panels for SeriousCrimes
convicted Miguel Mau of Crimes against Humanity including murder,enforced
disappearance and persecution. Taking into account the guilty plea
of the former Laksaur militia member, the Special Panel of three Judgessentenced
Miguel Mau the to 9 years months imprisonment for crimescommitted in Covalima
district in Timor Leste on 23 April 1999.
The trial of the Miguel Mau began at the Special Panel for Serious Crimeson
13 November 2003. During the trial, Mau pleaded guilty to three countsof
Crimes against Humanity in relation to crimes committed in Tilomar
subdistrict on 23 April 1999. The three counts of Crimes against Humanityincluded
the murder of three independence supporters and the enforceddisappearance
of Lodificus Rabo from Nikir village in Tilomar subdistrict
and persecution as a Crime against Humanity for the torture of severalvillagers
and the destruction of property in a joint TNI and Laksaurmilitia attack
on Fatukmetan village in Tilomar subdistrict.
Since trials began at the Special Panels for Serious Crimes in Timor
Lestein 2001, a total of 40 defendants have been convicted including former
EastTimorese soldiers in the Indonesian military, East Timorese militia
commanders as well as an East Timorese Falintil resistance fighter.
The two Special Panels for Serious Crimes in Timor Leste are each comprisedof
2 International Judges and one East Timorese Judge. The Special Panelsof
Judges are currently hearing 7 cases of Crimes against Humanity and
serious crimes committed in 1999 in Timor Leste with another 12 trials
ofaccused persons present in Timor Leste scheduled to commence in the
comingmonths.
Since 2000, the Serious Crimes Unit has indicted a total of 367 personswith 280 of those accused presently outside the jurisdiction of TimorLeste.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SCU CONTACT scu@un.org